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Complexity of Cleaning Oil

This layer of oil uncovered by USF geologists illustrates the complexity of cleaning oil off our beaches. The dynamic movement of sand on beaches has covered the oil with a 6-8 inch layer of sand. If the clean up crews only look at the surface of the beach when cleaning the oil how much will they miss? What is the ecological impact to the important animals that use the beach? How will this effect nesting sea turtles? And how long before this layer gets exposed again?

As we learned from the lasting ecological impacts of the Exxon Valdez oil spill, one thing is certain. We will be addressing these impacts for decades to come.

Click here for more photo's from the St. Petersburg Times

HANDS ACROSS THE SAND - TOMORROW JUNE 26th

Hands Across the Sand is now international. The image is powerful, the message is simple. NO to Offshore Oil Drilling, YES to Clean Energy.

Join the Surfrider Foundation THIS SATURDAY, June 26 at 11 a.m. PLEASE WEAR BLACK.

Join hands for 15 minutes on the beach in a united effort against offshore oil drilling and the dangers it presents to our oceans and marine wildlife, fishing industries and coastal economies.

There are 819 total events organized.

There are 730 events organized in the U.S.

There are events organized in 509 different U.S. cities.

There are events organized in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. (52)

There are events organized in 32 countries outside the U.S.

There are events organized in 82 cities outside the U.S.

The following countries are participating:
Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Belize, Canada, Costa Rica, Germany, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Spain, France, United Kingdom, Greenland, Croatia, Ireland, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Lebanon, Mexico, Malaysia, Nicaragua, Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Panama, Peru, Poland, Sweden, Tanzania, South Africa,

With the mishap of BP's Deepwater Horizon oil spill this event will be more timely than ever and likely to double or triple the 300+ number of people that gathered before. Hands Across The Sand‘s mission is to change our energy policy away from its dependence on fossil fuels and into the light of clean energy. The aim is to convince our leaders to abandon expanded offshore oil drilling and adopt policies that encourage clean and renewable energy sources.

..Worth a thousand words

Powerful images courtesy of Octavian Florescu

Gulf Oil Spill Health Hazards

Sciencecorps (Lexington, MA) has published a comprehensive report that describes the toxicity of chemicals in crude oil and in the dispersants currently being used in the Gulf area. Read it here.

State of the Spill - Week 9

Spill Size/Extent

Size: 68,796,000 gallons (63 days)

Note: Surfrider’s estimate of the spill volume is based on a rate of 26,000 barrels per day. The most recent estimate of the continuing rate of the oil gusher is between 35,000 and 60,000 barrels per day (1,470,000 to 2,520,000 gallons per day). If the release has been at that rate since Day 1, the total volume of oil released is now between and 93 and 159 million gallons.

NOAA’s new GeoPlatform.gov/gulfresponse online tool provides nearshore and offshore “spill trajectory estimates” for the current oil plume and the next two days. This view shows the current plume, the location of “beached oil” and surface water currents.

State of Efforts to Stop Flow

BP’s “top hat” containment system is believed to be collecting in excess of 15,000 barrels of oil per day, although substantial amounts of oil are still escaping through vent valves on the containment dome. BP has been ordered to step up their efforts to capture more of the oil. Their latest response letter (also discussed here) details plans to collect 40,000-53,000 barrels per day of oil by June 30. On June 16, BP began collecting crude oil from a second containment system that is attached directly with pipes and other equipment to the failed blowout preventer. That equipment had already been installed for the failed “top kill” effort weeks ago. The oil is transferred to a ship, the Q4000, which will then clean and burn the oil and gas mixture in a processing device called an EverGreen burner.

Meanwhile, BP continues to drill two “relief wells” that are intended to intercept the blown-out well at a depth of about 16,000 feet. Drilling mud and cement would then be pumped into the well to seal it. The wells will take at least two more months to drill. Read more.

Ecological Damage

The GeoPlatform.gov/gulfresponse online tool can be configured to show the confirmed dolphin and sea turtle strandings as well as the fishery closure area.

The Daily Dead Wildlife Tally shows the current number of birds, sea turtles and marine mammals that have been found dead in the oil spill area.

Volunteer Response Resources

Surfrider volunteer oil spill toolkit

Volunteer Phone numbers: (state-specific contact information below)

Deepwater Horizon Incident Volunteer Hotline: 866-448-5816
Vessel of Opportunities Program - Fishermen should phone 425-745-8017

Fact sheets related to oil spills in general and this spill:
http://www.piersystem.com/go/doctype/2931/53023/
http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/deepwaterhorizon
http://gulfseagrant.tamu.edu/oilspill/index.htm

http://www.eoearth.org/article/Deepwater_Horizon_oil_spill

Official Response Resources

Deepwater Horizon Response
Twitter: http://twitter.com/usnoaagov
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/usnoaagov
Podcasts: http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/podcast.html
NOAA Roles and Tools:
http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/topics/oceans/spills/
EPA: http://www.epa.gov/bpspill/

Phone numbers:

NOAA media inquiries: keeley.belva@noaa.gov or 301-713-3066
For response inquiries: Joint Information Center (JIC) at 985-902-5231 or 985-902-5240
BP Horizon Response Hotline: 281-366-5511
To report oil, or general Community and Volunteer Information: 866-448-5816
To report oiled or injured wildlife: 866-557-1401

Coast Guard officials say not to pick up any tar balls you find and to report them at (800) 424-8802

Florida Specific Volunteer Information:

Oil spill related clean up:
http://www.volunteerfloridadisaster.org/
Opportunities will be posted as they become available.

If you live in these areas and want to help:
Okaloosa County call: 850-651-7150 


Bay County call: 763-6587 


Walton County: go to http://www.waltonso.org/

Florida Palm Beach/Treasure Coast area volunteers can email Surfrider's Florida Regional Manager Ericka D'avanzo: edavanzo@surfrider.org

Experts to discuss 'Science of the Spill' at forum, Wednesday, June 23 in Pensacola http://escambia.ifas.ufl.edu/!pdf/OIL%20SPILL%20PUBLIC%20FORUM.pdf

Florida Gulf Recovery Jobs

http://gulfrecoveryjobs.employflorida.com/portals/gulfrecoveryjobs/

Florida DEP is not encouraging private citizens to clean up shorelines. However, should a homeowner have oil soaked materials, there are two options:

• Have the homeowners contact 1-866-448-5816 and someone will be sent out to retrieve the oiled materials.

• Emerald County Utilities Authority (ECUA) will provide several 55 gallon drums at certain walk crossovers on Pensacola Beach. They will be marked for oil debris only. BP/ Waste Management will be responsible for all collection and disposal. ECUA has provided the containers at no charge to help with the response. They will be placed next week.

Florida Information Numbers and Websites:

DEP Related Media Questions: Amy Graham at 850-245-2112 or -2113
Florida Emergency Information Line: 800-342-3557
Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) incident response website: http://www.dep.state.fl.us/deepwaterhorizon/default.htm

Resources in Other Gulf States:

Louisiana: http://www.volunteerlouisiana.gov/
Mississippi:
http://www.volunteermississippi.org/1800Vol/OpenIndexAction.do
Alabama: http://www.servealabama.gov/2010/default.aspx

Also see:
Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana
Galveston Bay Foundation
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources - (228) 374-5000
Mobile Bay National Estuary Program
Restore America’s Estuaries
Save Our Gulf
National Audubon Society

More Information & Call to Action

Help us track oil spill impacts at: http://oilspill.skytruth.org/

Urge Obama and Congress to ban new drilling:
http://www.surfrider.org/nodrilling

Participate in the Hands Across the Sand event this Saturday June 26th. Over 600 locations in nearly every state and around the world!

State Action Alert for Special Session (FL Only) – Our legislators are holding up Gov. Crist's request for a special session to make oil drilling a 2010 ballet item.

Walk your beaches daily to ensure no garbage or plastic debris is present. Do not disturb bird nesting areas!

Join the Surfrider Foundation: http://www.surfrider.org/join

25,000 barrels of oil a day, 25,000 barrels a day, take 1 down...

Having trouble wrapping your head around 25,000 barrels of oil? Equal to 1,050,000 million gallons. The amount we have been using to estimate the amount of oil gushing into the gulf everyday for the last 62 days! This is a startling and helpful visualization.

Read more...

State of the Spill - Week 8

Spill Size/Extent

Size: 62,244,000 gallons (57 days)

Note: Surfrider’s estimate of the spill volume is based on a rate of 26,000 barrels per day. The most recent estimate of the continuing rate of the oil gusher is between 35,000 and 60,000 barrels per day (1,470,000 to 2,520,000 gallons per day). If the release has been at that rate since Day 1, the total volume of oil released is now between and 84 and 144 million gallons.

NOAA’s new GeoPlatform.gov/gulfresponse online tool provides nearshore and offshore “spill trajectory estimates” for the current oil plume and the next two days. This view shows the current plume, the location of “beached oil” and surface water currents.

State of Efforts to Stop Flow

BP’s “top hat” containment system is collecting around 15,000 barrels of oil per day, although substantial amounts of oil are still escaping through vent valves on the containment dome. BP has been ordered to step up their efforts to capture more of the oil. Their latest response letter (also discussed here) details plans to collect 40,000-53,000 barrels per day of oil by June 30.

Meanwhile, BP continues to drill two “relief wells” that are intended to intercept the blown-out well at a depth of about 16,000 feet. Drilling mud and cement would then be pumped into the well to seal it. The wells will take at least two more months to drill. Read more.

Ecological Damage

The GeoPlatform.gov/gulfresponse online tool can be configured to show the confirmed dolphin and sea turtle strandings as well as the fishery closure area.

The Daily Dead Wildlife Tally shows the current number of birds, sea turtles and marine mammals that have been found dead in the oil spill area.

Volunteer Response Resources

Surfrider volunteer oil spill toolkit

Volunteer Phone numbers: (state-specific contact information below)

Deepwater Horizon Incident Volunteer Hotline: 866-448-5816
Vessel of Opportunities Program - Fishermen should phone 425-745-8017

Fact sheets related to oil spills in general and this spill:
http://www.piersystem.com/go/doctype/2931/53023/
http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/deepwaterhorizon
http://gulfseagrant.tamu.edu/oilspill/index.htm

Official Response Resources

Deepwater Horizon Response
Twitter: http://twitter.com/usnoaagov
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/usnoaagov
Podcasts: http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/podcast.html
NOAA Roles and Tools: http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/topics/oceans/spills/
EPA: http://www.epa.gov/bpspill/

Phone numbers:

NOAA media inquiries: keeley.belva@noaa.gov or 301-713-3066
For response inquiries: Joint Information Center (JIC) at 985-902-5231 or 985-902-5240
BP Horizon Response Hotline: 281-366-5511
To report oil, or general Community and Volunteer Information: 866-448-5816
To report oiled or injured wildlife: 866-557-1401

Coast Guard officials say not to pick up any tar balls you find and to report them at
(800) 424-8802

Florida Specific Volunteer Information:

Oil spill related clean up: http://www.volunteerfloridadisaster.org/
Opportunities will be posted as they become available.

If you live in these areas and want to help:
Okaloosa County call: 850-651-7150 


Bay County call: 763-6587 


Walton County: go to http://www.waltonso.org/

Florida Palm Beach/Treasure Coast area volunteers can email Surfrider's Florida Regional Manager Ericka D'avanzo: edavanzo@surfrider.org

Florida Information Numbers and Websites:

DEP Related Media Questions: Amy Graham at 850-245-2112 or -2113
Florida Emergency Information Line: 800-342-3557
Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) incident response website: http://www.dep.state.fl.us/deepwaterhorizon/default.htm

Resources in Other Gulf States:

Louisiana: http://www.volunteerlouisiana.gov/
Mississippi: http://www.volunteermississippi.org/1800Vol/OpenIndexAction.do
Alabama: http://www.servealabama.gov/2010/default.aspx

Also see:
Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana
Galveston Bay Foundation
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources - (228) 374-5000
Mobile Bay National Estuary Program
Restore America’s Estuaries
Save Our Gulf
National Audubon Society
More Information & Call to Action

Help us track oil spill impacts at: http://oilspill.skytruth.org/

Urge Obama and Congress to ban new drilling: http://www.surfrider.org/nodrilling

Participate in the Hands Across the Sand nationwide June 26th event.

State Action Alert for Special Session (FL Only) – Our legislators are holding up Gov. Crist's request for a special session to make oil drilling a 2010 ballet item.

Walk your beaches daily to ensure no garbage or plastic debris is present. Do not disturb bird nesting areas!

Join the Surfrider Foundation: http://www.surfrider.org/join