On the evening of 29 June 2008, a recreational fisherman called the NRC to report an oil spill (NRC #875732) within the canals of the Port of Iberia near New Iberia, Iberia Parish, Louisiana. The Port of Iberia is located approximately 6 miles north of the Intracoastal Waterway, and is connected by the Commercial Canal. The NRC informed the US Coast Guard and the USCG responded to the scene with a Basic Ordering Agreement (BOA) contractor. The BOA contractor arrived at the scene at 2200 hours and deployed containment booms across the Commercial Canal upstream and downstream of the affected areas. USCG determined that the spill was located within EPA jurisdiction and notified the EPA at approximately 2330 hours on 29 June. After conferring with the USCG, EPA assumed the lead agency role for the cleanup activities.
EPA START Contractors arrived at the scene at 0800 hours and EPA On-Scene Coordinator Bill Rhotenberry arrived at the scene at 1100 hours on June 30th. Upon arrival, the USCG BOA contractor was onsite and conducting oil spill containment activities. The USCG BOA contractor will remain onsite under EPA direction to complete oil spill cleanup activities. As of the morning of 30 June, EPA START observed oil staining along the banks of the Port of Iberia canals; however very little oil or associated sheening was observed upon the surface waters. It was also noted that the downstream booms within the Commercial Canal had been removed and the Port of Iberia was open to water traffic. It is estimated that approximately 1 mile of canal bank was impacted by the oil spill. The BOA contractor initiated cleanup activities on the morning of 30 June 2008. The cleanup is being conducted from the public boat launch at the Port of Iberia Administrative Office at 4511 South Lewis Road in New Iberia, LA.
Oil cleanup will include cutting away oiled vegetation, collecting oiled debris, and power washing the bank to help remove the remaining oil.
The source and the quantity of oil are both unknown.
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