Amelia becomes ground zero for staging as BP spill looms near coastline

Oil from the BP spill has landed in St. Mary Parish, according to one resident who notified authorities earlier this week.

Parish President Paul Naquin said the state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and BP officials are investigating crab traps around Marsh Island and Mile Point – located south of Franklin, near the Iberia Parish line. “Someone telephoned a report in Monday,” he said.

As a result, BP has set up a staging area at Bayou Sale. More than 5,000 feet of boom is ready to be deployed should oil near the coastline. The staging area is south of Centerville, Naquin said.

Naquin said a second staging area in Morgan City is being considered, as is joining Terrebonne Parish and using the McDermott site. Boom has been earmarked at the latter site for St. Mary Parish.

He said officials are also considering putting two jack-up barges – one in Atchafalaya and the other in the Cote Blanche Bays – for deployment. Boom would be stored there, as well.

This activity comes in the wake of Friday’s visit by Gov. Bobby Jindal, who flew over St. Mary Parish and held a news conference to detail his trip.

“This oil spill threatens our very way of life in Louisiana,” Jindal said. “The impact of this oil on Louisiana’s coast could destroy the Gulf’s nursery. This is where marine, sea, and migratory birds are born, hatched, spawned. It is truly America’s wetlands.”

The governor estimated St. Mary Parish will need about 15,686 feet of hard boom to protect its primary areas and another 3,864 feet to protect its secondary areas.

“Our idea is to construct multiple lines of defense to keep oil out of our fragile wetlands,” he explained. “The idea is hard boom, backed up boom that can absorb any oil that passes through the hard boom.”

The governor expressed concern that the oil may sink below the water’s surface, later coming ashore in the form of tar balls. “There are already reports of tar balls in Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes,” he said. “This is also a big concern in Mississippi, where they believe the oil could sink 12 to 18 inches below the water and then show up on the shore later.

“The bottom line is this: the oil spill is threatening our way of life in Louisiana – our fragile eco-systems and our wildlife habitats.”

Jindal said the cleanup effort “is not a sprint for us, it’s a marathon.” A long-term commitment fro BP is needed to monitor water levels for oil, as well as contaminants from the disbursements used to break up the oil, the governor said.

“BP won’t be done until they have completely restored our wetlands and our habitat,” he said. “Meanwhile, we’re going to continue to do everything we can to protect our coast, using everything from boudin bags to hesko baskets.”

Volunteers are needed to help with the cleanup. Information is available at www.emergency.la.gov.

Morgan City Mayor Tim Matte, who accompanied the governor on the fly-over, said the high river stage should help protect St. Mary’s coast. “The issue is going to be watching our inlets, but I believe the parish has a good plan.”