Press release – Saturday, June 5 – 5:30 p.m. – Update #36:
# The beaches at Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key remain open.
# For a second day, tar balls and mats washed onto the shoreline of Pensacola Beach.
# It has been confirmed that tar balls and mats have impacted Escambia gulf side beaches, from the Alabama state line to the Santa Rosa County line. Areas of impact include Perdido Key, Pensacola Beach and Gulf Islands National Seashore. The size of the materials typically range 3-18 cm in size.
# The Unified Command deployed more than 400 members of clean-up and assessment teams to Escambia County beaches.
# A light sheen 100 yards by 3 miles wide has been confirmed approximately .6 miles from Pensacola Beach. Lightly scattered tarballs are impacting northwest panhandle beaches.
# According to NOAA projections, additional impacts are expected throughout northwest Florida within the next 72 hours due to moderate/strong southwesterly winds.
# According to the NOAA oil plume model, the primary oil plume is 2 miles from Pensacola, 120 miles from Gulf County, and 300 miles from St. Petersburg, with non contiguous sheens and scattered tarballs closer.
# Moderate to strong southwest winds of 10-20 knots are expected today and tomorrow which will continue to push portions of the oil plume northeast towards Alabama and the Florida panhandle this weekend through early next week. The elevated winds, 2-5 foot seas, and a 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms may hamper some recovery operations across the northern-central gulf this weekend.
# With the impact of tar balls and mats and the proximity of the sheen to area beaches, the Florida Department of Health has posted information and alerts about the health affects from the materials.
# Reconnaissance flights and ATV beach patrols are being conducted daily, weather permitting, to monitor Florida’s shoreline for impact.
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British Petroleum (BP)
* BP claims in Florida: 6,607 with approximately $4,910,897.45 paid
* BP’s Vessel of Opportunity Program is holding a training session for interested crews of commercial vessels 50′ in length and greater. Vessel requirements include being a steel hull shrimper-style vessel with outriggers, doors and nets; endurance for up to seven days offshore and willing to work 20+ miles offshore. The entire crew must be trained, however, there is a max of six crew members per vessel. There will be a maximum of 120 people allowed in the class. The local class will be held at the Hilton Pensacola Beach, located at 12 Via De Luna Dr. Pensacola, FL 32561, on Sunday, June 6, 1-7pm. There is no preregistration and interested crews should report to the training location for registration. Crews that have already received the training and submitted their signed contract to BP need not attend.
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Escambia County Board of County Commissioners and Staff
* Seventeen inland waterways could be boomed within 48 hours as part of the Local Area Plan (LAP). Once these booms are placed in their operational configuration, boaters will experience restricted access to these harbors and bayous. Booming Locations and Booming Maps.
* Escambia County has allocated over $3 million local dollars to date
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Safety Information
* If you see a tar ball on the beach, DO NOT PICK IT UP. Report it to 1-866-448-5816.
Important Phone Numbers For Citizens
To report oil on the beach or shoreline:
* 1-866-448-5816
* 1-877-2SAVEFL or 1-877-272-8335
* #DEP from a cell phone.
To report oiled wildlife:
* 1-866-557-1401
BP Claims:
* 1-800-440-0858
To report damaged, vandalized, adrift or stolen boom:
* 1-866-448-5816
* 1-800-320-0519
Escambia County Citizen’s Information Line:
* 471-6600
Florida Oil Spill Information Line:
* 1-888-337-3569