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Report - Situation

NOAA ACTIVITIES: NWS HAS ESTABLISHED A SPECIFIC REPORTING SYSTEM FOR WEATHER AT THE
VESSEL. THE LONG PERIOD OF TIME REQUIRED TO OFFLOAD THE SHIP CAUSES A SPECIAL CONCERN THAT
A TROPICAL STORM COULD AFFECT THE VESSEL. IN ADDITION TO THESE LARGE SCALE EVENTS, MORE
LOCAL ACTIVITY(THUNDERSTORMS) CAN DISRUPT OFFLOADING OPERATIONS. FORCASTING OPERATIONS
WILL BE SUPPORTED FROM THE NWS SLIDEL,LA OFFICE. USCG VERY PLEASED WITH WEATHER SUPPORT.
NOAA PARTICIPATED IN A USCG OVERFLIGHT IN A C 130 AIRCRAFT. THE PLANE IS EQUIPED WITH A
HIGH RESOLUTION SLAR(RADAR) THAT LOOKS OUT 27 MILES ON EACH SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE AREA
FROM CORPUS CHRISTI TO THE VESSEL, OUT TO 50 MILES WAS SEARCHED FOR OIL. THE ONLY SLICKS
SIGHTED WERE NEAR THE VESSEL, WHERE SOME HEAVY OIL EXTENDED OUT 1/4 MILES FROM THE VESSEL.
THE CONCLUSION FROM THE OVERFLIGHT WAS THAT NO SIGNIFICANT OIL REMAINS IN OFFSHORE WATERS.
BEACH SURVEYS WERE COORDINATED WITH EPA AND THE STATE, TO EVALUATE THE SEVERITY OF OIL IN
THE NEAR SHORE SURF ZONE. LARGE QUANITIES OF OIL, ON THE ORDER OF WHAT IS ON THE BEACH, IS
IN THIS ZONE.  NMFS REPORTED THAT THERE SURVEY OF OFFSHORE WATER WITH TRAWLS, BOTTOM
SAMPLERS, AND WATER SAMPLES FOUND NO SUBSURFACE OIL CONTAMINATION. IN ADDITION THERE WAS
NO EVIDENCE OF SHRIMP TAINTING FROM THE OIL.  JIM PAINE, FROM SAI, PARTICIPATED IN THIS
SURVEY TO OBTAIN SAMPLES FOR HIS NOAA SPONSERED RESEARCH. HE WAS ALSO SUPPLIED WITH
ORIGINAL CARGO SAMPLES.  CHEMICAL ANALYSIS REQUIREMENTS FOR BEACHED OIL SAMPLES TO
EVALUATED DISPOSAL REQUIREMENTS WERE COORDINATED WITH THE EPA LAB.  STATE WILDLIFE AND
FISHERIES IS BEGINNING TO EVALUATE DAMAGE TO NATURAL RESOURCES RESULTING FROM THE SPILL.
NOAA HAS NO SIGNIFICANT PARTICIPATION IN THIS ACTIVITY.  ONE RIDLEY SEA TURTLE WAS FOUND
AND SUCESSFULLY CLEANED BY A LOCAL FACILITY.  PERSONNEL ONSCENE: R. PAVIA   SSC A.H.
ROONEY  ASSC E. GUNDLACH  BEACH PROCESSES J. BELVILE NWS J. GALT  TRAJECTORIES