Tuesday, June 13, 2023

CG responding to spill near Natchez

NEW ORLEANS - The Coast Guard continues to respond June 12 to a weekend discharge of oil from a barge on the Lower Mississippi River near Natchez, Miss. 

Coast Guard Sector Lower Mississippi River got a call about 10 p.m. on June 10 from Kirby Inland Marine reporting a discharge from one of their barges being transported by the towing vessel Leviticus at mile marker 339 on the Lower Mississippi River. 

Pollution responders from Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment Vicksburg and Sector Lower Mississippi River deployed to assess the situation. 

The crew of the Leviticus secured the source of the discharge and estimated that about 3,402 gallons entered the water, and an additional 1,000 gallons were discharged, but contained, to the deck of the barge. 

Kirby Inland Marine is currently working with two Oil Spill Removal Organizations (OSROs) to clean up the discharge. 

An estimated 1,000 feet of hard and sorbent boom were deployed on June 11 to contain the spill in the water. An estimated 800 gallons of oily water mixture has been recovered. There have been no reports of wildlife impact. The cause of the discharge is still under investigation. (Coast Guard 06/12/23)

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