Top story of the morning...
dirty birds
reported as oil spill in bay spreads
During the morning, more reports of birds coated with oil were coming in, including one found at Crissy Field, a few at Fort Baker, and some at Ocean Beach. But wildlife officials have not found any oiled snowy plovers, which are on the federal endangered species list. Contaminated birds are being taken to the University of California-Davis to be cleaned with a special solution. O'Neill said he is particularly concerned about the restored marsh at Crissy Field, and officials have deployed a second oil boom has been deployed to protect it. So far, O'Neill said he can see some oil sheen in the marsh waters.
"We're hoping for the best," he said.
At Rodeo Beach in the Marin County Headlands, 10 contaminated birds were found, seven of which were still alive. The birds are being taken to the International Bird Rescue Reseearch Center in Cordelia, where the birds are washed with a grease-cutting detergent.
The cleanup effort at Rodeo Beach began around noon, where a half-dozen workers wearing protective clothing and gloves shoveled up globs from the oil spill as school groups on nature tours looked on. A part of the beach tideline is marked by black, gooey oil, and workers are trying to finish the cleanup before the tides move back in.
The cleanup is being conducted by contractors hired by the company which owns the vessel that caused the spill, but Coast Guard and state officials are monitoring the cleanup procedures. The company has deployed 10 oil skimmers, boats that skim water and take out oil. Three are working outside the Golden Gate.
"So far, they are doing a very good job," Uberti said.
Late this morning, the coast guard was surveying the waters to see if the oil has dispersed outside the Golden Gate or if it remains in a large conglomeration, Uberti said. Officials also want to see if tides might possibly bring oil back into the Bay.
As the oil spill moved through the Golden Gate, it reached from Alcatraz to Angel Island to the San Francisco and Marin shores, forcing the closure of several beaches.
Terry Picon, walking her black standard poodle JB, at Crissy Field on Thursday.
"I was just out there yesterday, looking at the sea lions and saying what a beautiful place," Terry Picon said Thursday morning while walking her black standard poodle JB at Crissy Field,one of their regular hants. "Then I heard on the news about the oil spill. It's awful. You don't expect it to happen in your own back yard. Sure sounds like somebody was asleep at the wheel."
Representatives from federal, state and local agencies huddled at Fort Mason this morning to decide how to handle cleanup. The agencies ordered several beaches closed because of health concerns. The closures included Baker Beach, China Beach, Crissy Field and Fort Point in San Francisco and Black Sands Beach, Kirby Cove and Rodeo Beach on the Marin County side of the Bay.
The spill reached isolated Alcatraz a few hours after the crash.
The 900-foot-long container ship, navigating through heavy fog about 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, struck the bumpers protecting the base of the second suspension tower west of Yerba Buena Island. The impact cut a gash estimated to be about 80-feet long and 20-feet wide toward the front of the ship's left side. The impact punctured a fuel tank, allowing fuel oil to leak into the Bay. Wednesday, U.S. Coast Guard crews worked to surround the spill with floating boom, removing at least 8,000 gallons with skimmer ships and absorbent pads, said spokesman U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Michael Anderson.
For years biologists have been concerned that a significant oil spill inside San Francisco Bay could cause major environmental damage. The reason? The Bay has only one narrow opening at the Golden Gate, and the right combination of currents could push oil south, coating sensitive San Mateo, Alameda and Santa Clara County marshes, which are home to fish, birds and harbor seals.
Wednesday, signs were posted warning the public not to swim or fish in several areas, and a hot line was set up to take reports of fouled wildlife.
Anderson said the agency came up with the preliminary estimates by taking water samples from the Bay and comparing the liquid load on the vessel before and after the crash. "It's a fairly complicated process," he said.
The last spill of this magnitude happened in 1996, when the Cape Mohican, a military reserve vessel, spilled 40,000 gallons of fuel oil into San Francisco Bay near Pier 70.
Prior to that, an explosion on another ship, the Puerto Rican, spilled 1.5 million gallons of oil in the open ocean off the Golden Gate in 1984.
By comparison, the Exxon Valdez spill was 11 million gallons.
The collision had no effect on the bridge or anyone driving across it, and Caltrans engineers who examined the structure determined that the vessel did not make contact with the actual concrete abutment, said Caltrans Bay Bridge spokesman Bart Ney.
But the impact damaged the vessel, owned by South Korean Hanjin Shipping. It was carrying containers for the China Ocean Shipping Co.
Once the ship's crew and the Coast Guard had transferred fuel from the breached tank and contained the spill with absorbent foam barriers, it was moved across the Bay to Anchorage Nine, offshore from the former naval station in Alameda.
The Coast Guard prohibited boats from getting within 100 yards of the ship or 50 yards on either side of the slick, Neff said.
The San Francisco public health department issued a statement noting that oil vapors had sickened people onshore, causing headaches and nausea, but said the fumes posed no long-term health effects. Ney said the damage to the bridge could be fixed without too much trouble, but would probably require an emergency contract."- San Jose Mercury News
its quite sad.... I feel for the animals. I mean it just brings me to the point with the whole depleting ozone, Mother Nature is in Full effect (ie: extreme winds spreading fires, Earthquakes, hurricane Katrina) Freaking GAS PRICES ARE TO THE EXTREME.
my thoughts wrapped into one question...
"WHATS GOING ON WITH THIS WORLD?"
till laters.... thats my 2 cents
-abby
No comments:
Post a Comment