Latest news with #GregCallaghan
USA Today
06-05-2025
- General
- USA Today
Oil well spews thousands of gallons into Louisiana marsh, clean up underway: See aftermath
After a week of uncontrolled spillage, a leak pouring more than 70,000 gallons of oil into a Louisiana marsh has been contained, according to the Coast Guard. However, cleanup of the area surrounding the 83-year-old oil well at the heart of the spill is still ongoing. The well, operated by Spectrum Opco, was first noted as spilling an oil and gas mixture into the environment in Plaquemines Parish, southeast of New Orleans, on April 26. The World War II-era well was capped over a decade ago, according to local outlets WWNO and While the Coast Guard announced on May 4 that the leak had been contained, its cause has yet to be determined. The Coast Guard and the Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator's Office (LOSCO), known together in this case as the Unified Command, took over the situation on May 1 and said as of May 4 that it had "successfully secured the discharge of oil and natural gas." The agency also said it was partnering with a litany of organizations on cleanup efforts, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 'Gaining control of the discharge is a vital milestone' As of the May 4 announcement, responders have deployed 15,000 feet of containment boom and 740 bales of absorbent boom (devices used in spills to block and absorb substances) to recover approximately 70,812 gallons of oily water mixture. The total amount of oil discharged is still unknown at this time. 'Gaining control of the discharge is a vital milestone, but it marks only the beginning of our work," said Capt. Greg Callaghan, U.S. Coast Guard, Federal on Scene Coordinator, in a statement. "The Unified Command is fully committed to an exhaustive cleanup effort and will remain on site for as long as necessary to ensure the removal of oil and the safety of both the community and the ecosystem." Nearby areas are protected marshlands that house wildlife like turtles, waterfowl, fish and shrimp. The impact on the ecosystem is not yet known, but the Coast Guard said at least one "oiled bird" had been seen but not captured.
Hamilton Spectator
05-05-2025
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
Federal authorities are cleaning up an oil spill in southeast Louisiana
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Federal authorities are seeking to contain and clean up the damage from a decades-old oil well in southeast Louisiana that spewed crude and natural gas for more than a week. Upwards of 79,000 gallons (299,047 liters) of 'oily water mixture' have been recovered near Garden Island Bay in Plaquemines Parish at the edge of the Mississippi River Delta Basin, the U.S. Coast Guard said Monday. The region is still recovering from the effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill 15 years ago. 'Gaining control of the discharge is a vital milestone, but it marks only the beginning of our work,' U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Greg Callaghan, who is coordinating the federal response, said in an emailed statement. 'The Unified Command is fully committed to an exhaustive cleanup effort and will remain on site for as long as necessary to ensure the removal of oil and the safety of both the community and the ecosystem,' Callaghan added. Authorities say they have deployed more than 20,000 feet (6 kilometers) of containment booms. The cause of the leak remains under investigation, officials said. The U.S. Coast Guard said it has 'successfully secured' the well that's responsible for the leakage, owned by the firm Spectrum OpCo, LLC. But the total amount of discharged oil remained 'unknown.' 'Spectrum OpCo sincerely regrets the incident and its potential impact on our neighbors and remains fully engaged and resolutely committed to assisting with the cleanup,' the company said in an emailed statement. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, stated it is 'providing on-scene scientific support' such as tracking the spread of the spill and identifying natural resources at risk. So far, only one bird covered in oil has been reported by federal authorities. Plaquemines Parish has 20 pending lawsuits against oil and gas companies for failing to clean up infrastructure and surrounding coastal wetlands. Last month, a jury ordered Chevron to pay more than $740 million in damages to the parish. Louisiana U.S. Rep. Troy Carter said that the spill called attention to the 'clear and present danger' posed by cutting federal employees at agencies like NOAA who have experience handling oil spills. 'We owe it to our communities, our environment, and our future generations to safeguard Louisiana's coast — before it's too late,' Carter said. ___ Brook covers Louisiana government, infrastructure and environmental issues from New Orleans. He is a Report for America corps member.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Federal authorities start to clean up oil spill in southeast Louisiana
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Federal authorities are seeking to contain and clean up the damage from a decades-old oil well in southeast Louisiana that spewed crude and natural gas for more than a week. Upwards of 79,000 gallons (299,047 liters) of 'oily water mixture' have been recovered near Garden Island Bay in Plaquemines Parish at the edge of the Mississippi River Delta Basin, the U.S. Coast Guard said Monday. The region is still recovering from the effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill 15 years ago. 'Gaining control of the discharge is a vital milestone, but it marks only the beginning of our work," U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Greg Callaghan, who is coordinating the federal response, said in an emailed statement. "The Unified Command is fully committed to an exhaustive cleanup effort and will remain on site for as long as necessary to ensure the removal of oil and the safety of both the community and the ecosystem,' Callaghan added. Authorities say they have deployed more than 20,000 feet (6 kilometers) of containment booms. The cause of the leak remains under investigation, officials said. The U.S. Coast Guard said it has 'successfully secured' the well that's responsible for the leakage, owned by the firm Spectrum OpCo, LLC. But the total amount of discharged oil remained 'unknown." 'Spectrum OpCo sincerely regrets the incident and its potential impact on our neighbors and remains fully engaged and resolutely committed to assisting with the cleanup,' the company said in an emailed statement. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, stated it is 'providing on-scene scientific support' such as tracking the spread of the spill and identifying natural resources at risk. So far, only one bird covered in oil has been reported by federal authorities. Plaquemines Parish has 20 pending lawsuits against oil and gas companies for failing to clean up infrastructure and surrounding coastal wetlands. Last month, a jury ordered Chevron to pay more than $740 million in damages to the parish. Louisiana U.S. Rep. Troy Carter said that the spill called attention to the 'clear and present danger' posed by cutting federal employees at agencies like NOAA who have experience handling oil spills. 'We owe it to our communities, our environment, and our future generations to safeguard Louisiana's coast — before it's too late,' Carter said. ___ Brook covers Louisiana government, infrastructure and environmental issues from New Orleans. He is a Report for America corps member.
Winnipeg Free Press
05-05-2025
- General
- Winnipeg Free Press
Federal authorities start to clean up oil spill in southeast Louisiana
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Federal authorities are seeking to contain and clean up the damage from a decades-old oil well in southeast Louisiana that spewed crude and natural gas for more than a week. Upwards of 79,000 gallons (299,047 liters) of 'oily water mixture' have been recovered near Garden Island Bay in Plaquemines Parish at the edge of the Mississippi River Delta Basin, the U.S. Coast Guard said Monday. The region is still recovering from the effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill 15 years ago. 'Gaining control of the discharge is a vital milestone, but it marks only the beginning of our work,' U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Greg Callaghan, who is coordinating the federal response, said in an emailed statement. 'The Unified Command is fully committed to an exhaustive cleanup effort and will remain on site for as long as necessary to ensure the removal of oil and the safety of both the community and the ecosystem,' Callaghan added. Authorities say they have deployed more than 20,000 feet (6 kilometers) of containment booms. The cause of the leak remains under investigation, officials said. The U.S. Coast Guard said it has 'successfully secured' the well that's responsible for the leakage, owned by the firm Spectrum OpCo, LLC. But the total amount of discharged oil remained 'unknown.' 'Spectrum OpCo sincerely regrets the incident and its potential impact on our neighbors and remains fully engaged and resolutely committed to assisting with the cleanup,' the company said in an emailed statement. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, stated it is 'providing on-scene scientific support' such as tracking the spread of the spill and identifying natural resources at risk. So far, only one bird covered in oil has been reported by federal authorities. Plaquemines Parish has 20 pending lawsuits against oil and gas companies for failing to clean up infrastructure and surrounding coastal wetlands. Last month, a jury ordered Chevron to pay more than $740 million in damages to the parish. Louisiana U.S. Rep. Troy Carter said that the spill called attention to the 'clear and present danger' posed by cutting federal employees at agencies like NOAA who have experience handling oil spills. 'We owe it to our communities, our environment, and our future generations to safeguard Louisiana's coast — before it's too late,' Carter said. ___ Brook covers Louisiana government, infrastructure and environmental issues from New Orleans. He is a Report for America corps member.
Associated Press
05-05-2025
- General
- Associated Press
Federal authorities start to clean up oil spill in southeast Louisiana
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Federal authorities are seeking to contain and clean up the damage from a decades-old oil well in southeast Louisiana that spewed crude and natural gas for more than a week. Upwards of 79,000 gallons (299,047 liters) of 'oily water mixture' have been recovered near Garden Island Bay in Plaquemines Parish at the edge of the Mississippi River Delta Basin, the U.S. Coast Guard said Monday. The region is still recovering from the effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill 15 years ago. 'Gaining control of the discharge is a vital milestone, but it marks only the beginning of our work,' U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Greg Callaghan, who is coordinating the federal response, said in an emailed statement. 'The Unified Command is fully committed to an exhaustive cleanup effort and will remain on site for as long as necessary to ensure the removal of oil and the safety of both the community and the ecosystem,' Callaghan added. Authorities say they have deployed more than 20,000 feet (6 kilometers) of containment booms. The cause of the leak remains under investigation, officials said. The U.S. Coast Guard said it has 'successfully secured' the well that's responsible for the leakage, owned by the firm Spectrum OpCo, LLC. But the total amount of discharged oil remained 'unknown.' 'Spectrum OpCo sincerely regrets the incident and its potential impact on our neighbors and remains fully engaged and resolutely committed to assisting with the cleanup,' the company said in an emailed statement. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, stated it is 'providing on-scene scientific support' such as tracking the spread of the spill and identifying natural resources at risk. So far, only one bird covered in oil has been reported by federal authorities. Plaquemines Parish has 20 pending lawsuits against oil and gas companies for failing to clean up infrastructure and surrounding coastal wetlands. Last month, a jury ordered Chevron to pay more than $740 million in damages to the parish. Louisiana U.S. Rep. Troy Carter said that the spill called attention to the 'clear and present danger' posed by cutting federal employees at agencies like NOAA who have experience handling oil spills. 'We owe it to our communities, our environment, and our future generations to safeguard Louisiana's coast — before it's too late,' Carter said. ___ Brook covers Louisiana government, infrastructure and environmental issues from New Orleans. He is a Report for America corps member.
