UPDATE 7: Coast Guard responds to reports of oil in Gulf of Mexico

[The Patriot]

NEW ORLEANS - Clean up and recovery operations of the pollution that washed up on the shores of Grand Isle and Elmer's Island was completed Wednesday.

The Coast Guard and the Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator's Office have deemed that all areas affected by the March 25, 2011 oil spill have been restored to pre-spill conditions.

"The shorelines that were recently impacted by oil in and around the Grand Isle area have been restored to their 'pre-spill' condition. The oil was determined to be the responsibility of Anglo-Suisse. This effort could not have been successful with out the hard work and cooperation of our maritime community partners, including our local, State, Native American, and Federal partners," said Coast Guard Capt. Jonathan Burton, federal on scene coordinator for the response.

The Coast Guard was responsible for overseeing the clean-up response to the estimated one-half mile total of impacted shoreline.

Other assisting and cooperating agencies engaged in the clean up and recover operations include:

-Department of Public Safety;

-Grand Isle Fire Department;

-Louisiana National Guard;

-U.S. Wildlife and Fisheries.

Anglo-Suisse Offshore Partners, LLC, has been identified as the responsible party and is responsible for paying for all cleanup related costs associated with the spill.

Tests conducted by LSU and Coast Guard marine safety labs confirmed that samples collected from West Delta 117, a well owned by Anglo-Suisse, matched samples of oil collected from the shorelines of both Elmer's Island and Grand Isle.

The Coast Guard is pursuing enforcement actions against Anglo-Suisse.

See more of the Eighth Coast Guard District: Flickr Facebook Twitter YouTube D8 Blog







More...