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Situation Update 02/17/94

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS BASED ON THE MOST CURRENT DATA PROVIDED TO NOAA.

SSC Evening Report Thursday, 17 February, 1994:

SITUATION UPDATE/ACTIVITIES TODAY (Thursday, 17 FEB 94):
Segments 15C and 15D were signed off today (17 FEB) and will be monitored daily
throughout turtle nesting season until the hatchlings leave the nests and go to
sea.  Segments 15A and 15B were re-impacted by tar balls and removal operations
continue.  Zone 12 was signed off today (17 FEB) and periodic monitoring of this
zone will begin tomorrow (Feb 18).  Hotsy ops in Segment 7D were nearing
completion and the entire zone will be ready for final inspection tomorrow (18
FEB).  Tar balls were being removed from Segments 8E and 8F.  New oil was
discovered in the rip rap in Segment 8H.  Tar balls were being removed from Zone
9. The following is a brief summary on the status of all of the zones as of
1800, 17 February :1)  Hotsy and flushing on rip rap continues in 1A, 1B, and
1C. 2)  Submerged oil recovery (dredge ops) coninue in 2A, 2B;  seawall and
beachrock clean-up (w/ Hotsies) continues in 2C. 3)  Hotsy ops continue in 3A; 
Submerged oil recovery (snaring of grass beds) continues in 3B;  Tar ball
removal and submerged oil recovery continue in 3C. 4)  Tar ball removal
continues in 4E and 4F;  Cleaning of the rock outcrop in 4G (w/ Hotsies)
continues. 6)  Cleanup completed (awaiting final inspection and sign-off). 7) 
Cleanup completed (awaiting final inspection and sign-off). 8)  Tar ball and
buried oil removal continues in 8E and 8F;  New oil was discovered in the rip
rap in 8H. 9)  Tar ball removal continues throughout zone. 10)  Signed off, no
re-oiling;  monitoring continues. 12)  Cleanup completed (awaiting sign-off by
FOSC);  monitoring continues. 13)  Signed off, no re-oiling;  monitoring
continues. 14)  Signed off, no-re-oiling;  monitoring continues. 15)  Tar ball
removal continues in 15A and 15B;  Cleanup completed in 15C and 15D (awaiting
sign-off by FOSC);  Monitoring continues. 16)  Re-oiled (small tar ball
impacts). 17)  Tar ball and tar patty removal continues throughout the entire
zone. 18)  Beach cleanup ops and submerged oil recovery continues;  Some
segments are nearly ready for final recommendations and sign-offs. Most segments
in Zones 17 and 18 are now ready for final inspections. Three active turtle
nests have been located in Zone 18 and are being monitored. A meeting was held
with the mayor of Arecibo to assure him that there are no concerns that local
fisheries have been tainted by the spill.  

FUTURE PLANS:
The shoreline assessment team will perform a final inspection of Zone 7 tomorrow
(18 FEB).  The west coast shoreline assessment team will begin conducting final
inspections in Zone 18 tomorrow (18 FEB). The ASSC will conduct some dye marker
tests in Zone 18 to attempt to identify local gyres which may be causing
subsurface oil to re- contaminate some areas. A meeting will be held at the
command center with other local agencies to develop an inspection program to
ensure populations from impacted areas that the seafood is not tainted from the
oil spill. A staff briefing is planned with the USCG D7 Commander.  NOAA HAZMAT
has prepared a report for the Admiral which will serve as a briefing guide to
the history, current status and future plans of the major spill issues.  This
report will be distributed through normal channels.