Leipsic River News

On May 11, the Unified Command determined that responders have achieved pre-established oil spill clean up standards, and that active cleanup measures are complete. Although the active cleanup has been completed, a monitoring plan has been implemented in the event that any further oil is sighted. The Unified Command includes the Coast Guard, environmental representatives from Delaware, New Jersey and The O'Brien's Group. The spill, which was reported to the Coast Guard by crewmen from a tug boat on April 25th, impacted Delaware shorelines from the Leipsic River south to the Mispillion River and caused New Jersey to close over 70,000 acres of oyster beds for one week as a preventive measure. A total of 22 birds and one turtle were reported to have been impacted by the spill.

The Coast Guard, Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) are continuing to lead the recovery and clean-up of oil spilled in the upper Delaware Bay Tuesday. Shorelines impacted in Delaware by the spill include Port Mahon, Kelly Island and Pickering Beach. These areas have been reported to have light amounts of tar balls ranging from dime to baseball size. There is also a report of a scattered concentration of tar balls four-miles off of Bowers Beach, which oil skimming vessels are in the process of recovering. As a preventive measure, the NJDEP has closed 70,000 acres of New Jersey's oyster beds to prevent potential environmental contamination.

The Coast Guard, Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) continue to lead the recovery and clean-up of oil spilled in the upper Delaware Bay. As a preventive measure, the NJDEP has closed 70,000 acres of New Jersey's oyster beds to prevent potential environmental contamination. The Captain of the Port of Philadelphia has also issued a safety broadcast to mariners informing them of the obstructions to navigation due to the deployment of protective booming. Under direction of the Captain of the Port, protective booming which will limit or prohibit access to waterways has been placed in Back Creek, Nantuxet Creek, Fortescue Creek and Dividing Creek on the New Jersey side of the Delaware Bay.

The Unified Command continues to oversee the recovery and clean-up operations of oil spilled in the upper Delaware Bay last Tuesday. Over the weekend, shoreline crews and assessment teams worked to clean up Delaware shorelines affected in Port Mahon, Pickering Beach and Kelly Island as well as Gandy's Beach in New Jersey. State and local officials also worked to identify additional areas impacted by the spill. Shoreline assessment crews today are focusing on areas from Kitts Hummock, DE south to Beach Plumb Island looking for any oil that may have come ashore. Clean-up crews are actively working along the Delaware shoreline at Slaughter Beach, Kitts Hummock and Big Stone. Reports of birds, one Sanderling and four Gulls, were reported to be affected by the spill over the weekend.

The owners/managers of the Bermuda Islander, a Netherlands registered 340-foot container vessel, have activated The O’Brien’s Group, a spill management consultant, and agreed to take over the coordination of, and accept costs relating to recovery and clean-up operations of an oil spill in the upper Delaware Bay that happened Tuesday. The owners/managers, JR Ship Management, have been cooperating with the Unified Command since Thursday afternoon. Clean up costs had initially been funded by the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund. The Bermuda Islander was determined to be one of the vessels of interest based on information received as part of an ongoing investigation into the source of the spill.