Feb 24, 2014
Following the crash, officials reported a "light sheen" on the river surface and halted traffic "to avoid contaminating passing vessels and to prevent oil from spreading downriver," APreports.
Public drinking water intakes in nearby St. Charles Parish were also closed as a precaution, though officials said the water supply "remains safe."
According to Coast Guard spokesman Petty Officer Bill Colclough, authorities held a Monday morning conference call to discuss estimates of how much oil has spilled and when the river would re-open to traffic.
This is the third major oil spill in six years to shut down the waterway.
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Lauren Mccauley
Lauren McCauley is a former senior editor for Common Dreams covering national and international politics and progressive news. She is now the Editor of Maine Beacon. Lauren also helped produce a number of documentary films, including the award-winning Soundtrack for a Revolution and The Hollywood Complex, as well as one currently in production about civil rights icon James Meredith. Her writing has been featured on Newsweek, BillMoyers.com, TruthDig, Truthout, In These Times, and Extra! the newsletter of Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting. She currently lives in Kennebunk, Maine with her husband, two children, a dog, and several chickens.
Following the crash, officials reported a "light sheen" on the river surface and halted traffic "to avoid contaminating passing vessels and to prevent oil from spreading downriver," APreports.
Public drinking water intakes in nearby St. Charles Parish were also closed as a precaution, though officials said the water supply "remains safe."
According to Coast Guard spokesman Petty Officer Bill Colclough, authorities held a Monday morning conference call to discuss estimates of how much oil has spilled and when the river would re-open to traffic.
This is the third major oil spill in six years to shut down the waterway.
_____________________
Lauren Mccauley
Lauren McCauley is a former senior editor for Common Dreams covering national and international politics and progressive news. She is now the Editor of Maine Beacon. Lauren also helped produce a number of documentary films, including the award-winning Soundtrack for a Revolution and The Hollywood Complex, as well as one currently in production about civil rights icon James Meredith. Her writing has been featured on Newsweek, BillMoyers.com, TruthDig, Truthout, In These Times, and Extra! the newsletter of Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting. She currently lives in Kennebunk, Maine with her husband, two children, a dog, and several chickens.
Following the crash, officials reported a "light sheen" on the river surface and halted traffic "to avoid contaminating passing vessels and to prevent oil from spreading downriver," APreports.
Public drinking water intakes in nearby St. Charles Parish were also closed as a precaution, though officials said the water supply "remains safe."
According to Coast Guard spokesman Petty Officer Bill Colclough, authorities held a Monday morning conference call to discuss estimates of how much oil has spilled and when the river would re-open to traffic.
This is the third major oil spill in six years to shut down the waterway.
_____________________
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