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.”
Showing posts with label key west oil spill. Show all posts
Showing posts with label key west oil spill. Show all posts
Monday, May 24, 2010
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.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Questions and Answers Regarding the Florida Keys
Questions and Answers Regarding the Florida Keys And the Gulf Oil Spill
Because of new developments regarding the Transocean/BP (British Petroleum) oil spill and its relationship
to the Florida Keys, the Monroe County Tourist Development Council has updated this Question and Answer document that was originally published May 4 and revised on May 13. This should be helpful to answer questions from current or potential visitors. It is also published on the Keys website (www.fla-keys.com) in a special oil spill-related section. Since May 3, that section has received some 50,000 views.
I heard that the Keys are in imminent danger of being affected by the oil spill.
According to officials at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, a light sheen of oil from the Transocean/BP oil spill has entered the Loop Current. NOAA insists that the time it would take for this oil to travel to the vicinity of the Keys, it would be highly weathered and both the natural process of evaporation and application of dispersants would reduce the oil volume significantly, NOAA said. It is still unclear whether the weathered oil would actually arrive in Keys regions or bypass the area and remain either in the Loop Current or the Gulf Stream (see explanation of Loop Current below). The bulk of the spill should remain away from the Loop Current, NOAA said.
What is the Loop Current?
The Gulf Loop Current is a dynamic, clockwise warm-water current that carries water from the Yucatan
Channel north to the Gulf of Mexico, then eastward and looping back down south off the Florida west coast,
past the Dry Tortugas and into the Gulf Stream, also known as the Florida Current.
I have heard that oil will definitely hit the Keys and the impacts will be devastating.
NOAA and other officials say the kind of impacts the Keys and areas on the east coast might experience
would be much different than what is transpiring in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Most oil spill experts say any
oil carried by the Loop Current would be more dispersed and highly weathered by the time it gets to the
Keys, which is some 475 miles from the spill site. That means it is highly unlikely that large “rivers” of heavy
oil would impact the Keys. The 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. While arrival of oil
in any form is unacceptable, tar balls are “significantly less toxic,” according to Florida Department of
Environmental Protection Secretary Michael Sole. It is also possible that one area of the Keys could be
affected and others not, or that the oil residues could remain in the Loop Current and Gulf Stream and
completely miss the Keys.
What about the oil tar balls that were recently found in Key West and other parts of the Keys?
There was a lot of news coverage and I heard they were from the Gulf oil spill.
The U.S. Coast Guard tested all tar balls and found none were from the oil spill. Finding tar balls in Keys
waters or on area beaches is not an unusual occurrence. The Keys are located along a busy commercial
shipping route, with some 8,000 vessels passing by on an annual basis, and commercial vessels sometimes
discharge bilge water that has oil in it. Tar balls can drift into Keys waters from many other areas, not just
the northern Gulf region.
What is a tar ball?
A tar ball is a blob of oil that has been weathered after floating in the ocean. Tar ball concentration and
features have been used to assess the extent of oil spills and their composition can also be used to identify
their sources of origin. They are slowly decomposed by microorganisms. While not dangerous to most
people, tar balls can cause allergic reactions and should only be retrieved by trained personnel. Tar balls
can sometimes occur naturally and as such are not always associated with oil spills.
Can you guarantee me that oil residues will not make its way into the Keys during my vacation?
Nobody can make a long-term guarantee that residues from the Gulf Coast oil spill will or will not be in the
Keys. However, at the current time, expected impacts do not seem to be a serious issue for travelers. When
making reservations for accommodations and water-related activities, it may be prudent to discuss in
advance any cancellation and refund policies in the event oil residues impacts the immediate area of activity.
I hear authorities have shut down fishing in the Keys.
That is not true. A large area in the Gulf of Mexico, west of Florida and the Keys, is closed. But no areas of
Florida, including the Keys, are under the order at this time. This means that Keys-caught seafood has not
been affected and is safe to consume.
Is it safe to dive, swim and participate in other water sports in the Keys?
There are no advisories in the Keys currently in effect due to the Gulf oil spill. The Monroe County Health
Department is monitoring the situation and would issue an advisory in the event of any health-related risk.
I’m apprehensive about traveling to the Keys because I don’t want to lose money if oil comes and
ruins my vacation.
Each property has its own cancellation policy. It is prudent to check with the hotel as well as any other
travel-related operator in advance to determine cancellation policies and if management will offer refunds or
credits in the event oil adversely affects Keys waters.
I hear the Florida Keys and much of Florida are under a state of emergency.
Nineteen of the state’s 67 counties are under a state of emergency, even though no impacts have been
seen in Florida as of Thursday, May 20. On Wednesday, May 19, the Monroe County Commission (the
county that comprises the Keys) voted to ask Florida Gov. Charlie Crist to declare a state of emergency for
the Florida Keys. That was primarily done so the Keys can qualify for federal reimbursement funding and
small business loans, if needed. Visitors continue to be welcomed to all Florida areas that are under a state
of emergency.
Are there protective actions being taken to safeguard the environment, if needed?
The U.S. Coast Guard is the lead government agency responsible for oversight of any necessary cleanup
and remediation activities. The Coast Guard works in conjunction with other local, state and federal
authorities to enact a 725-page area contingency plan that includes oil spill response actions. Some of the
other agencies involved are NOAA’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, the Department of the Interior, Florida Department of Environmental Protection and Monroe County Emergency Management. All are operating under a Unified Command, guided by the Florida Keys Area Contingency Plan. Assessment and cleanup crews have been mobilized to mitigate tar balls, or any other unexpected effects. Currently, no
protective actions are interrupting water- or land-related visitor activities in the Florida Keys.
When will this be over?
Officials don’t know for sure. The outcome and timing depend on when leaks at the Transocean/BP well site
can be plugged or effectively contained and how effective current mitigation efforts are in containing the oil
already in the northern Gulf of Mexico.
Where can I get more information on the oil spill?
The Keys tourism council is posting information — including official NOAA oil slick trajectory maps — on its
website at www.fla-keys.com as well as on Twitter and Facebook:
http://twitter.com/thefloridakeys • http://www.facebook.com/floridakeysandkeywest
Spill-related websites includes:
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/deepwaterhorizon/default.htm
http://www.noaa.gov
http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com
Because of new developments regarding the Transocean/BP (British Petroleum) oil spill and its relationship
to the Florida Keys, the Monroe County Tourist Development Council has updated this Question and Answer document that was originally published May 4 and revised on May 13. This should be helpful to answer questions from current or potential visitors. It is also published on the Keys website (www.fla-keys.com) in a special oil spill-related section. Since May 3, that section has received some 50,000 views.
I heard that the Keys are in imminent danger of being affected by the oil spill.
According to officials at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, a light sheen of oil from the Transocean/BP oil spill has entered the Loop Current. NOAA insists that the time it would take for this oil to travel to the vicinity of the Keys, it would be highly weathered and both the natural process of evaporation and application of dispersants would reduce the oil volume significantly, NOAA said. It is still unclear whether the weathered oil would actually arrive in Keys regions or bypass the area and remain either in the Loop Current or the Gulf Stream (see explanation of Loop Current below). The bulk of the spill should remain away from the Loop Current, NOAA said.
What is the Loop Current?
The Gulf Loop Current is a dynamic, clockwise warm-water current that carries water from the Yucatan
Channel north to the Gulf of Mexico, then eastward and looping back down south off the Florida west coast,
past the Dry Tortugas and into the Gulf Stream, also known as the Florida Current.
I have heard that oil will definitely hit the Keys and the impacts will be devastating.
NOAA and other officials say the kind of impacts the Keys and areas on the east coast might experience
would be much different than what is transpiring in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Most oil spill experts say any
oil carried by the Loop Current would be more dispersed and highly weathered by the time it gets to the
Keys, which is some 475 miles from the spill site. That means it is highly unlikely that large “rivers” of heavy
oil would impact the Keys. The 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. While arrival of oil
in any form is unacceptable, tar balls are “significantly less toxic,” according to Florida Department of
Environmental Protection Secretary Michael Sole. It is also possible that one area of the Keys could be
affected and others not, or that the oil residues could remain in the Loop Current and Gulf Stream and
completely miss the Keys.
What about the oil tar balls that were recently found in Key West and other parts of the Keys?
There was a lot of news coverage and I heard they were from the Gulf oil spill.
The U.S. Coast Guard tested all tar balls and found none were from the oil spill. Finding tar balls in Keys
waters or on area beaches is not an unusual occurrence. The Keys are located along a busy commercial
shipping route, with some 8,000 vessels passing by on an annual basis, and commercial vessels sometimes
discharge bilge water that has oil in it. Tar balls can drift into Keys waters from many other areas, not just
the northern Gulf region.
What is a tar ball?
A tar ball is a blob of oil that has been weathered after floating in the ocean. Tar ball concentration and
features have been used to assess the extent of oil spills and their composition can also be used to identify
their sources of origin. They are slowly decomposed by microorganisms. While not dangerous to most
people, tar balls can cause allergic reactions and should only be retrieved by trained personnel. Tar balls
can sometimes occur naturally and as such are not always associated with oil spills.
Can you guarantee me that oil residues will not make its way into the Keys during my vacation?
Nobody can make a long-term guarantee that residues from the Gulf Coast oil spill will or will not be in the
Keys. However, at the current time, expected impacts do not seem to be a serious issue for travelers. When
making reservations for accommodations and water-related activities, it may be prudent to discuss in
advance any cancellation and refund policies in the event oil residues impacts the immediate area of activity.
I hear authorities have shut down fishing in the Keys.
That is not true. A large area in the Gulf of Mexico, west of Florida and the Keys, is closed. But no areas of
Florida, including the Keys, are under the order at this time. This means that Keys-caught seafood has not
been affected and is safe to consume.
Is it safe to dive, swim and participate in other water sports in the Keys?
There are no advisories in the Keys currently in effect due to the Gulf oil spill. The Monroe County Health
Department is monitoring the situation and would issue an advisory in the event of any health-related risk.
I’m apprehensive about traveling to the Keys because I don’t want to lose money if oil comes and
ruins my vacation.
Each property has its own cancellation policy. It is prudent to check with the hotel as well as any other
travel-related operator in advance to determine cancellation policies and if management will offer refunds or
credits in the event oil adversely affects Keys waters.
I hear the Florida Keys and much of Florida are under a state of emergency.
Nineteen of the state’s 67 counties are under a state of emergency, even though no impacts have been
seen in Florida as of Thursday, May 20. On Wednesday, May 19, the Monroe County Commission (the
county that comprises the Keys) voted to ask Florida Gov. Charlie Crist to declare a state of emergency for
the Florida Keys. That was primarily done so the Keys can qualify for federal reimbursement funding and
small business loans, if needed. Visitors continue to be welcomed to all Florida areas that are under a state
of emergency.
Are there protective actions being taken to safeguard the environment, if needed?
The U.S. Coast Guard is the lead government agency responsible for oversight of any necessary cleanup
and remediation activities. The Coast Guard works in conjunction with other local, state and federal
authorities to enact a 725-page area contingency plan that includes oil spill response actions. Some of the
other agencies involved are NOAA’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, the Department of the Interior, Florida Department of Environmental Protection and Monroe County Emergency Management. All are operating under a Unified Command, guided by the Florida Keys Area Contingency Plan. Assessment and cleanup crews have been mobilized to mitigate tar balls, or any other unexpected effects. Currently, no
protective actions are interrupting water- or land-related visitor activities in the Florida Keys.
When will this be over?
Officials don’t know for sure. The outcome and timing depend on when leaks at the Transocean/BP well site
can be plugged or effectively contained and how effective current mitigation efforts are in containing the oil
already in the northern Gulf of Mexico.
Where can I get more information on the oil spill?
The Keys tourism council is posting information — including official NOAA oil slick trajectory maps — on its
website at www.fla-keys.com as well as on Twitter and Facebook:
http://twitter.com/thefloridakeys • http://www.facebook.com/floridakeysandkeywest
Spill-related websites includes:
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/deepwaterhorizon/default.htm
http://www.noaa.gov
http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com
NOAA Observations Indicate Small Portion of Light Oil Sheen Has Entered the Loop Current
KEYS TOURISM ADVISORY 15 May 19, 2010 • 5:30 PM
News and Information From the Monroe County Tourist Development Council
NOAA Observations Indicate Small Portion of Light Oil Sheen Has Entered the Loop Current
Loss-of-Business Resources Available
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Wednesday afternoon that their latest observations indicate a small portion of the Transocean/BP spill’s oil slick has reached the Loop Current in the form of light to very light sheens.
In the time it would take for this oil to travel to the vicinity of the Florida Straits, it would be highly weathered and both the natural process of evaporation and application of dispersants would reduce the oil volume significantly, NOAA officials said.
NOAA said the oil may get caught in a clockwise eddy in the middle of the Gulf, and not be carried to the Florida Straits at all.
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.
Earlier Wednesday, the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed that tests on tar balls found Monday and Tuesday on Key West’s Fort Zachary Taylor State Park beach and other areas of the Lower Keys and the Dry Tortugas were not from the Transocean/BP oil spill.
However, there was intensive news coverage and a number of news stories prematurely and erroneously concluded the tar balls were from the Gulf oil spill. Even though most media outlets have updated their news stories, calls to Keys visitor centers as well as vacation reservations cancellations increased.
Information regarding loss-of-business claims (including an online claim form) from BP and applying for federal assistance is available at http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/go/doc/2931/542307. BP’s claims hotline is 1-800-440-0858.
At its meeting Wednesday, the Monroe County Commission passed a resolution to ask Florida Gov. Charlie Crist to declare a state of emergency for Monroe County in order to qualify for federal assistance and small business loans.
News and Information From the Monroe County Tourist Development Council
NOAA Observations Indicate Small Portion of Light Oil Sheen Has Entered the Loop Current
Loss-of-Business Resources Available
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Wednesday afternoon that their latest observations indicate a small portion of the Transocean/BP spill’s oil slick has reached the Loop Current in the form of light to very light sheens.
In the time it would take for this oil to travel to the vicinity of the Florida Straits, it would be highly weathered and both the natural process of evaporation and application of dispersants would reduce the oil volume significantly, NOAA officials said.
NOAA said the oil may get caught in a clockwise eddy in the middle of the Gulf, and not be carried to the Florida Straits at all.
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.
Earlier Wednesday, the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed that tests on tar balls found Monday and Tuesday on Key West’s Fort Zachary Taylor State Park beach and other areas of the Lower Keys and the Dry Tortugas were not from the Transocean/BP oil spill.
However, there was intensive news coverage and a number of news stories prematurely and erroneously concluded the tar balls were from the Gulf oil spill. Even though most media outlets have updated their news stories, calls to Keys visitor centers as well as vacation reservations cancellations increased.
Information regarding loss-of-business claims (including an online claim form) from BP and applying for federal assistance is available at http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/go/doc/2931/542307. BP’s claims hotline is 1-800-440-0858.
At its meeting Wednesday, the Monroe County Commission passed a resolution to ask Florida Gov. Charlie Crist to declare a state of emergency for Monroe County in order to qualify for federal assistance and small business loans.
Coast Guard: Tar Balls Not From Transocean/BP Sill
Coast Guard Key West Sector Captain Pat DeQuattro confirmed Wednesday that tests on tar balls found Monday and Tuesday on Key West Fort Zachary Taylor State Park and other areas of the Lower Keys are not from the Transocean/BP oil spill in the northern Gulf of Mexico. He said tar balls were flown last night to a laboratory in Connecticut and tested early Wednesday morning.
Captain Kevin Gillespie, a Coast Guard liaison to the Florida Emergency Operations Center, sent the following e-mail to state officials:
From: Kevin.Gillespie@uscg.mil
To: Sole, Michael; Halstead, David
Cc: DeLorenzo, Mike
Sent: Wed May 19 06:37:15 2010
Subject: Lab Results on Tar Balls
Good morning Sirs. Report came early this morning stating that tar balls collected from Fort Zachary State Park are NOT RELATED to Deepwater Horizon.
Capt Kevin Gillespie
CG LNO to FL EOC
Captain Kevin Gillespie, a Coast Guard liaison to the Florida Emergency Operations Center, sent the following e-mail to state officials:
From: Kevin.Gillespie@uscg.mil
To: Sole, Michael; Halstead, David
Cc: DeLorenzo, Mike
Sent: Wed May 19 06:37:15 2010
Subject: Lab Results on Tar Balls
Good morning Sirs. Report came early this morning stating that tar balls collected from Fort Zachary State Park are NOT RELATED to Deepwater Horizon.
Capt Kevin Gillespie
CG LNO to FL EOC
Coast Guard Reports Discovery of Tar Balls at State Park
KEYS TOURISM ADVISORY 12 May 18, 2010 • 8 AM EDT
News and Information From the Monroe County Tourist Development Council
Coast Guard Reports Discovery of Tar Balls at State Park: Source Not Identified
Late Monday night, officials at U.S. Coast Guard Key West Sector distributed a news release regarding the discovery of 20 tar balls found earlier in the day by Florida State Park rangers on the beach at Key West’s Fort Zachary Taylor State Park.
While the Coast Guard did not identify the source of the tar balls, several media outlets have already concluded they came from the Transocean/BP spill in the northern Gulf of Mexico.
The Coast Guard is shipping the tar balls to a laboratory for analysis to determine the actual origin of source, which is not known at this time, according to Captain Pat DeQuattro, the commander of the Key West Sector.
By early Monday evening, Coast Guard pollution investigators completed a subsequent shoreline survey of the Fort Zachary area and no additional tar balls were found.
Later today, officials from the Coast Guard and Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary are to conduct shoreline surveys to determine if any additional tar balls are present. The Coast Guard is also scheduled to conduct an aerial survey.
We hope to have an update later today, after Coast Guard and Sanctuary officials complete their surveys.
The public is asked to phone in sightings of any tar balls to the Coast Guard at 1-800-424-8802. Tar balls are considered hazardous materials and should only be retrieved by trained personnel, officials said.
Meanwhile, as of late Monday, officials continue to say oil from the northern Gulf spill is not in the Loop Current.
"The oil has not entered the Loop Current at this time," said Coast Guard Rear Admiral Mary Landry at a news conference in Robert, La., Monday afternoon. "A leading edge (of the) sheen is getting close to it, but it has not entered the Loop Current."
Notes in NOAA’s oil slick trajectory forecast for Thursday, May 20, point out: “As the winds weaken, ocean models indicate that any tar balls leading the southern edge of the plume could begin moving more to the SW and potentially into the Loop Current.”
Spill-related websites, primarily focusing on affected areas, include:
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/deepwaterhorizon/default.htm • http://www.noaa.gov
http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com
TDC website with spill-related information for visitors: http://www.fla-keys.com
News and Information From the Monroe County Tourist Development Council
Coast Guard Reports Discovery of Tar Balls at State Park: Source Not Identified
Late Monday night, officials at U.S. Coast Guard Key West Sector distributed a news release regarding the discovery of 20 tar balls found earlier in the day by Florida State Park rangers on the beach at Key West’s Fort Zachary Taylor State Park.
While the Coast Guard did not identify the source of the tar balls, several media outlets have already concluded they came from the Transocean/BP spill in the northern Gulf of Mexico.
The Coast Guard is shipping the tar balls to a laboratory for analysis to determine the actual origin of source, which is not known at this time, according to Captain Pat DeQuattro, the commander of the Key West Sector.
By early Monday evening, Coast Guard pollution investigators completed a subsequent shoreline survey of the Fort Zachary area and no additional tar balls were found.
Later today, officials from the Coast Guard and Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary are to conduct shoreline surveys to determine if any additional tar balls are present. The Coast Guard is also scheduled to conduct an aerial survey.
We hope to have an update later today, after Coast Guard and Sanctuary officials complete their surveys.
The public is asked to phone in sightings of any tar balls to the Coast Guard at 1-800-424-8802. Tar balls are considered hazardous materials and should only be retrieved by trained personnel, officials said.
Meanwhile, as of late Monday, officials continue to say oil from the northern Gulf spill is not in the Loop Current.
"The oil has not entered the Loop Current at this time," said Coast Guard Rear Admiral Mary Landry at a news conference in Robert, La., Monday afternoon. "A leading edge (of the) sheen is getting close to it, but it has not entered the Loop Current."
Notes in NOAA’s oil slick trajectory forecast for Thursday, May 20, point out: “As the winds weaken, ocean models indicate that any tar balls leading the southern edge of the plume could begin moving more to the SW and potentially into the Loop Current.”
Spill-related websites, primarily focusing on affected areas, include:
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/deepwaterhorizon/default.htm • http://www.noaa.gov
http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com
TDC website with spill-related information for visitors: http://www.fla-keys.com
Officials Dispute Claim of Oil in the Loop Current
KEYS TOURISM ADVISORY 10 May 13, 2010 • 4:30 PM EDT
News and Information From the Monroe County Tourist Development Council
Officials Dispute Claim of Oil in the Loop Current
Federal and local officials are disputing a Thursday report on a Keys radio station that oil has entered the Loop Current.
This morning on WWUS/U.S. 1 Radio, Dr. Mitch Roffer, publisher of Roffer's Ocean Fishing Forecasting Service, told News Director Bill Becker “a filament of oil is entering the Loop Current.”
He went on to say that the oil was headed to the Keys and should arrive there in two to three weeks.
Sean Morton, superintendent of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, said that National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration analysis shows the oil north of the Loop Current.
Irene Toner, director of Monroe County Emergency Management, said her sources at the State of Florida Division of Emergency Management said early Thursday afternoon the oil was 80 miles north of the Loop Current.
News and Information From the Monroe County Tourist Development Council
Officials Dispute Claim of Oil in the Loop Current
Federal and local officials are disputing a Thursday report on a Keys radio station that oil has entered the Loop Current.
This morning on WWUS/U.S. 1 Radio, Dr. Mitch Roffer, publisher of Roffer's Ocean Fishing Forecasting Service, told News Director Bill Becker “a filament of oil is entering the Loop Current.”
He went on to say that the oil was headed to the Keys and should arrive there in two to three weeks.
Sean Morton, superintendent of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, said that National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration analysis shows the oil north of the Loop Current.
Irene Toner, director of Monroe County Emergency Management, said her sources at the State of Florida Division of Emergency Management said early Thursday afternoon the oil was 80 miles north of the Loop Current.
Distance Between Loop Current and Oil Slick Increases
KEYS TOURISM ADVISORY 7 May 10, 2010 • 11:30 AM EDT
News and Information From the Monroe County Tourist Development Council
Distance Between Loop Current and Oil Slick Increases
Winds in the northern Gulf of Mexico are helping to keep the oil slick, emanating from the Transocean/BP spill, away from the Loop Current as well as other coastal regions of Florida.
According to official estimates, as of Monday morning the southern edge of the slick was projected to be about 100 miles from the northern edge of the Loop Current. Friday afternoon, it was about 40 miles. That distance is likely to increase as National Weather Service forecasters project that winds will blow from the east and southeast for much of the remainder of the week in the northern Gulf.
There are no impacts forecast for the next 72 hours to any part of the state of Florida and likely much longer for the Keys. State officials continue to encourage travel to all of Florida.
On the Sunday edition of CBS's "Face the Nation," Admiral Thad Allen, commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard who is in charge of the government’s response said officials at the preset time think there is a low chance of the oil reaching the Loop Current.
“That (Loop Current) is significantly south of the southern edge of the spill right now,” said Allen. “It does not appear to be a threat right now."
Still, until leaks are plugged, officials must continue to closely monitor and plan strategic responses for any possible oil landings in Florida including the Keys.
A giant concrete-and-steel containment box that was lowered at the end of last week developed problems when an icy slush formed inside and thwarted plans to funnel the oil to a surface tanker. According to the Associated Press, BP is now examining several other options to stop leaks including trying a smaller containment box and injecting debris including shredded rubber into the well as a stopper. The challenge with all proposed solutions is that they have never been tried in 5,000 feet of water.
The Monroe County Commission has scheduled a special workshop focusing on any needed preparations for the oil spill for Tuesday, May 11, to begin at 1 p.m. at the Murray Nelson Government Center situated at 10250 Overseas Highway, mile marker 102.5 bayside in Key Largo. The commission is to hear from administrator Roman Gastesi, representatives from Monroe County Emergency Management, Department of Environmental Protection and NOAA’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The meeting is open to the public.
The Monroe County tourism council continues to update its http://www.fla-keys.com website with information regarding the spill and its relationship to the Keys. On the website are NOAA forecast tracking maps, a map showing the spill site in relation to the Keys, links to area Webcams and more.
TDC social media sites include:
http://www.keysvoices.com • http://twitter.com/thefloridakeys • http://www.facebook.com/floridakeysandkeywest
Spill-related websites, primarily focusing on affected areas, include:
http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com • http://www.noaa.gov
News and Information From the Monroe County Tourist Development Council
Distance Between Loop Current and Oil Slick Increases
Winds in the northern Gulf of Mexico are helping to keep the oil slick, emanating from the Transocean/BP spill, away from the Loop Current as well as other coastal regions of Florida.
According to official estimates, as of Monday morning the southern edge of the slick was projected to be about 100 miles from the northern edge of the Loop Current. Friday afternoon, it was about 40 miles. That distance is likely to increase as National Weather Service forecasters project that winds will blow from the east and southeast for much of the remainder of the week in the northern Gulf.
There are no impacts forecast for the next 72 hours to any part of the state of Florida and likely much longer for the Keys. State officials continue to encourage travel to all of Florida.
On the Sunday edition of CBS's "Face the Nation," Admiral Thad Allen, commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard who is in charge of the government’s response said officials at the preset time think there is a low chance of the oil reaching the Loop Current.
“That (Loop Current) is significantly south of the southern edge of the spill right now,” said Allen. “It does not appear to be a threat right now."
Still, until leaks are plugged, officials must continue to closely monitor and plan strategic responses for any possible oil landings in Florida including the Keys.
A giant concrete-and-steel containment box that was lowered at the end of last week developed problems when an icy slush formed inside and thwarted plans to funnel the oil to a surface tanker. According to the Associated Press, BP is now examining several other options to stop leaks including trying a smaller containment box and injecting debris including shredded rubber into the well as a stopper. The challenge with all proposed solutions is that they have never been tried in 5,000 feet of water.
The Monroe County Commission has scheduled a special workshop focusing on any needed preparations for the oil spill for Tuesday, May 11, to begin at 1 p.m. at the Murray Nelson Government Center situated at 10250 Overseas Highway, mile marker 102.5 bayside in Key Largo. The commission is to hear from administrator Roman Gastesi, representatives from Monroe County Emergency Management, Department of Environmental Protection and NOAA’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The meeting is open to the public.
The Monroe County tourism council continues to update its http://www.fla-keys.com website with information regarding the spill and its relationship to the Keys. On the website are NOAA forecast tracking maps, a map showing the spill site in relation to the Keys, links to area Webcams and more.
TDC social media sites include:
http://www.keysvoices.com • http://twitter.com/thefloridakeys • http://www.facebook.com/floridakeysandkeywest
Spill-related websites, primarily focusing on affected areas, include:
http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com • http://www.noaa.gov
Oil Still North of Loop Current
KEYS TOURISM ADVISORY 6B May 7, 2010 • 5 PM EDT
News and Information From the Monroe County Tourist Development Council
Oil Still North of Loop Current
Local, state and federal officials continue to assure that oil from the Transocean/BP spill is positioned well north of the Loop Current and there are no impacts projected for the next 72 hours to any part of the state of Florida and likely longer for the Keys
Significant speculation and rumors continue to permeate various communications’ channels regarding the likelihood of oiling entering the Loop Current and making its way down to the Keys.
The latest National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecast trajectory model for Sunday, May 9, does show the slick pushing slightly to the south in the northern Gulf of Mexico, likely from winds that day forecast to blow from the north until Monday, when a predominantly southeastern flow is projected to return. The southern edge of the slick was positioned about 40 miles north of the Loop Current Friday afternoon, officials said Friday afternoon.
At least one ocean expert, Eric Chassignet, director of the Center for Ocean Atmospheric Prediction Studies at Florida State University, believes during the next few days the Loop Current will migrate further south, increasing the distance between it and the oil slick. FSU is hosting an Oil Spill Academic Task Force’s website at http://oilspill.fsu.edu compiling resources of Florida's universities with numerous models and information related to projected movements of the oil spill. Chassignet’s animated model is at http://oilspill.fsu.edu/model_output/home.html.
Since there is no expert agreement regarding long-range oil movements, local, state and federal officials continue strategic planning to attack any possible oil landings in Florida including the Keys. Although, a spill of this magnitude has never been foreseen, comprehensive plans are being adapted by officials to fight the spill, if needed. Those plans, which are public documents, are available at:
The U.S. Coast Guard Florida Keys Area Contingency Plan (725-page document)
http://ocean.floridamarine.org/ACP/KWACP/Documents/PDF/ACP/Complete%20Volume%20I.pdf
NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration's Oil Spills in Coral Reefs: Planning and Response Considerations
http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/book_shelf/70_coral_full_report.pdf
Sensitivity of Coastal Environments and Wildlife to Spilled Oil South Florida Atlas (Dry Tortugas to Boca Raton)
http://ocean.floridamarine.org/ACP/KWACP/Documents/PDF/ESI/SFlorida/LOWRES/S_FL05.PDF
Friday afternoon, the Associated Press reported a giant concrete-and-steel containment box was lowered to about 200 feet above one of two remaining leaks. The apparatus is designed to collect as much as 85 percent of the leaking oil and funnel it up to a tanker. The structure, which has never before been deployed in deep water, could be operational by Sunday or Monday, according to the AP.
The Monroe County tourism council continues to update its http://www.fla-keys.com website with information regarding the spill and its relationship to the Keys. On the website are NOAA forecast tracking maps, a map showing the spill site in relation to the Keys, links to area webcams and more.
TDC social media sites include:
http://www.keysvoices.com • http://twitter.com/thefloridakeys http://www.facebook.com/floridakeysandkeywest
Spill-related websites, primarily focusing on affected areas, include:
http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com • http://www.noaa.gov
News and Information From the Monroe County Tourist Development Council
Oil Still North of Loop Current
Local, state and federal officials continue to assure that oil from the Transocean/BP spill is positioned well north of the Loop Current and there are no impacts projected for the next 72 hours to any part of the state of Florida and likely longer for the Keys
Significant speculation and rumors continue to permeate various communications’ channels regarding the likelihood of oiling entering the Loop Current and making its way down to the Keys.
The latest National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecast trajectory model for Sunday, May 9, does show the slick pushing slightly to the south in the northern Gulf of Mexico, likely from winds that day forecast to blow from the north until Monday, when a predominantly southeastern flow is projected to return. The southern edge of the slick was positioned about 40 miles north of the Loop Current Friday afternoon, officials said Friday afternoon.
At least one ocean expert, Eric Chassignet, director of the Center for Ocean Atmospheric Prediction Studies at Florida State University, believes during the next few days the Loop Current will migrate further south, increasing the distance between it and the oil slick. FSU is hosting an Oil Spill Academic Task Force’s website at http://oilspill.fsu.edu compiling resources of Florida's universities with numerous models and information related to projected movements of the oil spill. Chassignet’s animated model is at http://oilspill.fsu.edu/model_output/home.html.
Since there is no expert agreement regarding long-range oil movements, local, state and federal officials continue strategic planning to attack any possible oil landings in Florida including the Keys. Although, a spill of this magnitude has never been foreseen, comprehensive plans are being adapted by officials to fight the spill, if needed. Those plans, which are public documents, are available at:
The U.S. Coast Guard Florida Keys Area Contingency Plan (725-page document)
http://ocean.floridamarine.org/ACP/KWACP/Documents/PDF/ACP/Complete%20Volume%20I.pdf
NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration's Oil Spills in Coral Reefs: Planning and Response Considerations
http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/book_shelf/70_coral_full_report.pdf
Sensitivity of Coastal Environments and Wildlife to Spilled Oil South Florida Atlas (Dry Tortugas to Boca Raton)
http://ocean.floridamarine.org/ACP/KWACP/Documents/PDF/ESI/SFlorida/LOWRES/S_FL05.PDF
Friday afternoon, the Associated Press reported a giant concrete-and-steel containment box was lowered to about 200 feet above one of two remaining leaks. The apparatus is designed to collect as much as 85 percent of the leaking oil and funnel it up to a tanker. The structure, which has never before been deployed in deep water, could be operational by Sunday or Monday, according to the AP.
The Monroe County tourism council continues to update its http://www.fla-keys.com website with information regarding the spill and its relationship to the Keys. On the website are NOAA forecast tracking maps, a map showing the spill site in relation to the Keys, links to area webcams and more.
TDC social media sites include:
http://www.keysvoices.com • http://twitter.com/thefloridakeys http://www.facebook.com/floridakeysandkeywest
Spill-related websites, primarily focusing on affected areas, include:
http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com • http://www.noaa.gov
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