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Hurricane Katrina (LA General)

NOAA Office of Response and Restoration for 10/3/05   Hurricane Katrina and Rita 
Responses

Mobile

* The NOAA Scientific Support Team in Mobile continues to work on trustee coordination 
for response to tanks, vessels and debris for Alabama and Mississippi. The goal is to 
develop a straightforward organizational process to cover trustee requirements but 
minimize adverse environmental impact, especially in any areas that trustees identify as 
sensitive due to species concerns, critical habitats, historic resources, managed lands, 
etc.

Baton Rouge

* The NOAA Scientific Support Team in Baton Rouge continues to working on ESF-10 
(Emergency Report Functions - 10)issues with U.S. Coast Guard, including evaluation of 
cleanup strategies, delineation of oiling, and collection of samples to support oil 
fingerprinting for source identification.  NOAA will also coordinate with the U.S. Coast 
Guard lead ESF-3 salvage operations on consultation requirements.

* As the leader of the Environmental Unit, the NOAA Scientific Support Team is 
coordinating with industry spill response teams on oiled debris burn issues. 

* The NOAA Scientific Support Team continues to work to document the progress of both 
the active (Tier 1) spill responses and the investigation and response to smaller (Tier 
2) releases. 

* Future issues include development of a shoreline cleanup matrix specific to the 
habitats of the Mississippi River Delta.  This product will benefit not only the current 
response activities, but also future responses in the region.  

Morgan City

* The NOAA Scientific Support Team in Morgan City continues with helicopter and fixed 
wing overflights of the nearshore and offshore zones.

* NOAA and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality conducted an overflight in 
areas south and southeast of Morgan City including Point Au Fer Island, Lake de Cade, 
and a portion of the Intracoastal Waterway.  Two facilities were observed having black 
oil in the water with silver and rainbow sheen. Four other facilities had varying 
degrees of silver to rainbow sheen.  The exact quantities of oil in the water are 
unknown at this time.

* NOAA and U.S. Coast Guard conducted offshore overflights approximately 60-120 miles 
south of SW Pass using a 10 mile grid pattern.  The team observed two small spills, both 
silver sheens ¼ to ½ mile long and about 100 yards wide. 

Port Arthur

* The team in Port Arthur is covering incidents in Port Arthur, TX and Lake Charles, 
LA.  In addition to pollution investigations, the team is generating critical products 
for the U.S. Coast Guard including summary status of pollution events, overflights maps, 
and local logistics (waterway, bridge and roadway status, etc.)

* Port Arthur incidents include the Sabine Offshore Services Tank.  Storm surge 
deposited this 125,000-gallon tank in a marsh.  The tank continues to leak oil, but the 
booms are holding a significant amount. The lightering plan requires almost two miles of 
flexible pipe to be laid between the tank and a barge.  Pumping operations will be 
during daylight hours so that any loss can be observed and emergency actions put in 
place to stop the flow of diesel.