Coast Guard Continues Monitoring Cleanup on Mississippi River
The Coast Guard has extended the closure of the Mississippi River from mile marker 97, one mile north of the , , , to the , which expands an area of nearly 100 miles. Nearly 420,000 gallons of number 6 fuel oil spilled when an American Commercial Lines barge, which was being pushed by the tug boat Mel Oliver, and the chemical tank ship, Tintomara, collided at approximately 1:30 a.m. Wednesday. More than 45,000 feet of containment boom has been deployed by contractors. Another 45,000 feet of boom is scheduled to be deployed Thursday in the affected areas. All water intake facilities at risk have been protected by boom. Marshlands and environmentally sensitive areas have not been affected, but containment boom is being deployed.
Coast Guard to Hold Change of Command
Coast Guard Sector Ohio Valley is scheduled to host a change-of-command ceremony on July 6, 2007 in Louisville, Kentucky. During the ceremony, Capt. Hung M. Nguyen, will relieve Capt. John R. Bingaman and will assume command of Coast Guard Sector Ohio Valley. Capt. Nguyen arrives in Louisville from the Coast Guard Marine Safety Center in Washington D.C where he served as executive officer. Capt. Bingaman has been the commander of Sector Ohio Valley since its commissioning in 2005 and will depart Louisville to become the Chief of Prevention at Eleventh Coast Guard District in Alameda, Cal. Rear Adm. Joel R. Whitehead, Commander of the Eighth Coast Guard District in New Orleans is scheduled to be the presiding official for the ceremony.
Houston Changes Captain of Port
A Change of Command ceremony for Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston is scheduled for July 14. The event will take place at United Way Community Center in Houston. During a formal ceremony, the current Commander of Sector Houston-Galveston, Capt. Richard M. Kaser, will be relieved by Capt. William J. Diehl. Presiding over the ceremony will be Rear Adm. Joel R. Whitehead, Commander of the Eighth Coast Guard District and Commander of Maritime Defense Command Eight. Kaser, the Commanding Officer for MSO Houston-Galveston from July 2003-December 2005 and Commander, Sector Houston-Galveston from December 2005-July 2006, will relinquish his command and move on to a position as Chief, Prevention Division at Coast Guard Atlantic Area in Portsmouth, Virginia.
