KEYS TOURISM ADVISORY 18 May 24, 2010 • 11 AM
News and Information From the Monroe County Tourist Development Council
TDC BOLSTERS GULF OIL SPILL INFO ON WEBSITE
The Monroe County Tourist Development Council has added more elements to its website to communicate accurate information regarding the relationship of the Transocean/BP oil spill in the northern Gulf of Mexico to the Florida Keys.
On the www.fla-keys.com home page is a link to a special spill section, as well as a prominent connection to live webcams, so potential visitors can see the area for themselves. The current “Video of the Week” feature shows Key West Mayor Craig Cates correcting misperceptions that the Florida Keys & Key West have already been impacted by the Gulf oil spill.
“We know the travel consumer is hungry for accurate information,” said TDC Director Harold Wheeler. “Ever since we posted the first spill-related news story on April 28, we’ve had more than 75,000 spill-related page views on our site.”
All information published is based on official authorities including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Coast Guard, Florida Division of Emergency Management and Monroe County Emergency Management.
The special spill section features 72-hour-in-advance oil slick trajectory graphics that can be enlarged and clearly show NOAA’s projected positions and oil densities in both the northern Gulf of Mexico and Loop Current.
The page also has a quick overview of the status of the Keys for visitors as well as links to resources for specific oil spill-related information.
News stories and a question-and-answer page regarding the Keys and the Gulf oil spill can be accessed from the special page.
Meanwhile, light oil sheen and isolated tar balls continue to remain significantly west of the Keys according to the latest NOAA trajectory models. Wednesday’s forecast shows oil residue to be positioned some 300 miles to the northwest of Key West.
On Saturday, at a special Key West City Commission meeting, federal officials expressed their confidence that with exposure to heat, weather, dispersants and evaporation, any of the oil sheen presently in the Gulf Loop Current that might get close to the Keys would likely transform into small tar balls. Tar balls, they said, would mean significantly fewer environmental consequences than aqueous oil.
"A (oil) sheen over time will break down, will become weathered (and) will evaporate." said Captain Pat DeQuattro of the U.S. Coast Guard Key West Sector. "If we’re to be impacted, it will more likely be tar balls."
Even if tar balls make their way into the Florida Straits they could be far enough offshore that they completely miss the Keys, officials added.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Tar Balls are Worst Impacts Expected for Keys From Gulf Oil Spill
KEYS TOURISM ADVISORY May 22, 2010 • 3:15 p.m.
Officials: Tar Balls are Worst Impacts Expected for Keys From Gulf Oil Spill
KEY WEST, Fla. -- Local and federal officials sought to sort fact from speculation Saturday, telling attendees at a special city commission meeting the worst effect the Florida Keys should get from the Transocean/BP oil spill is tar balls.
Representatives from the U.S. Coast Guard and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary briefed a standing-room-only-audience at Old City Hall.
U.S. Coast Guard Key West Sector Captain Pat DeQuattro said his Unified Incident Command’s cleanup plan concentrates on mitigating tar balls, if they come to the Keys.
NOAA officials are confident with exposure to heat, weather, dispersants and evaporation, any of the oil sheen presently in the Gulf Loop Current that got close to the Keys would likely transform into small tar balls. Tar balls, they said, would have a lot less impact than a major spill and are less toxic.
“A (oil) sheen over time will break down, will become weathered (and) will evaporate.” said DeQuattro. “If we’re to be impacted, it will more likely be tar balls.”
Sean Morton, superintendent of NOAA’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary said, for the present time, the Gulf Loop Current was actually taking the light oil sheen towards the southwest, away from the Keys.
“In the 72-hour (spill trajectory) forecast, what NOAA is predicting is that the sheen and tar balls that could be observed in the water are moving west, away from the Florida Keys,” Morton said.
Although the island chain has not seen physical impacts from the Gulf oil spill, Keys lodging and other visitor-related businesses have been hit hard with reservations cancellations and calls from nervous visitors confused by speculative reports of a looming environmental disaster in the Keys.
“Yes, our economy has been effected by this because of the perception that the Keys has oil on it or tar balls coming up from the spill,” said Key West Mayor Craig Cates. “We do not. Key West is open for business (and) the water is clear, this fishing is great, the weather is fine and Memorial (Day) weekend is coming up.”
Officials: Tar Balls are Worst Impacts Expected for Keys From Gulf Oil Spill
KEY WEST, Fla. -- Local and federal officials sought to sort fact from speculation Saturday, telling attendees at a special city commission meeting the worst effect the Florida Keys should get from the Transocean/BP oil spill is tar balls.
Representatives from the U.S. Coast Guard and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary briefed a standing-room-only-audience at Old City Hall.
U.S. Coast Guard Key West Sector Captain Pat DeQuattro said his Unified Incident Command’s cleanup plan concentrates on mitigating tar balls, if they come to the Keys.
NOAA officials are confident with exposure to heat, weather, dispersants and evaporation, any of the oil sheen presently in the Gulf Loop Current that got close to the Keys would likely transform into small tar balls. Tar balls, they said, would have a lot less impact than a major spill and are less toxic.
“A (oil) sheen over time will break down, will become weathered (and) will evaporate.” said DeQuattro. “If we’re to be impacted, it will more likely be tar balls.”
Sean Morton, superintendent of NOAA’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary said, for the present time, the Gulf Loop Current was actually taking the light oil sheen towards the southwest, away from the Keys.
“In the 72-hour (spill trajectory) forecast, what NOAA is predicting is that the sheen and tar balls that could be observed in the water are moving west, away from the Florida Keys,” Morton said.
Although the island chain has not seen physical impacts from the Gulf oil spill, Keys lodging and other visitor-related businesses have been hit hard with reservations cancellations and calls from nervous visitors confused by speculative reports of a looming environmental disaster in the Keys.
“Yes, our economy has been effected by this because of the perception that the Keys has oil on it or tar balls coming up from the spill,” said Key West Mayor Craig Cates. “We do not. Key West is open for business (and) the water is clear, this fishing is great, the weather is fine and Memorial (Day) weekend is coming up.”
Gulf Spill Oil Sheen and Tar Balls Forecast to Remain West of Keys
KEYS TOURISM ADVISORY 17 May 21, 2010 • 1 PM
News and Information From the Monroe County Tourist Development Council
NOAA Forecast: Gulf Spill Oil Sheen, Tar Balls Forecast to Remain West of Keys
Oil trajectory maps, released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration show light and very light sheens of oil and scattered tar balls from the Gulf oil spill in the Loop Current remaining well to the west of the Florida Keys through Sunday. The same forecast is likely to continue further into next week.
According to NOAA, the forecast position of the southern point of the sheen on Sunday is about 300 miles to the west of Key West.
Meanwhile, NOAA analysis show most of the oil, especially heavy concentrations, has not entered the Loop Current.
During a news conference late Thursday, NOAA administrator Dr. Jane Lubchenco reiterated that finding and stated, "If you look at the satellite images, it is obvious that the bulk of the oil is far away from the Loop Current."
If any of the oil makes it to the vicinity of the Florida Straits, it would be highly weathered and both the natural process of evaporation and the application of dispersants would reduce the oil volume significantly, Lubchenco said.
Oil entrained in the Loop Current would require persistent onshore winds or an eddy on the edge of the Loop Current for it to reach the Florida shoreline. If this were to occur, the weathered and diluted oil would likely appear in isolated locations in the form of tar balls, NOAA wrote in a statement.
On Thursday, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist added Monroe County, in the Florida Keys, to a list of two-dozen Florida counties already under a state of emergency declaration. Even though no Florida county has seen oil, the declaration was issued so counties can pre-qualify for federal reimbursement funding and individual business loans, if needed.
News and Information From the Monroe County Tourist Development Council
NOAA Forecast: Gulf Spill Oil Sheen, Tar Balls Forecast to Remain West of Keys
Oil trajectory maps, released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration show light and very light sheens of oil and scattered tar balls from the Gulf oil spill in the Loop Current remaining well to the west of the Florida Keys through Sunday. The same forecast is likely to continue further into next week.
According to NOAA, the forecast position of the southern point of the sheen on Sunday is about 300 miles to the west of Key West.
Meanwhile, NOAA analysis show most of the oil, especially heavy concentrations, has not entered the Loop Current.
During a news conference late Thursday, NOAA administrator Dr. Jane Lubchenco reiterated that finding and stated, "If you look at the satellite images, it is obvious that the bulk of the oil is far away from the Loop Current."
If any of the oil makes it to the vicinity of the Florida Straits, it would be highly weathered and both the natural process of evaporation and the application of dispersants would reduce the oil volume significantly, Lubchenco said.
Oil entrained in the Loop Current would require persistent onshore winds or an eddy on the edge of the Loop Current for it to reach the Florida shoreline. If this were to occur, the weathered and diluted oil would likely appear in isolated locations in the form of tar balls, NOAA wrote in a statement.
On Thursday, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist added Monroe County, in the Florida Keys, to a list of two-dozen Florida counties already under a state of emergency declaration. Even though no Florida county has seen oil, the declaration was issued so counties can pre-qualify for federal reimbursement funding and individual business loans, if needed.
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