Mississippi remains closed

In a statement issued today, the Coast Guard makes clear that the Mississippi River, closed from New Orleans to the Gulf after the massive July 23, remains closed with few exceptions.

Very limited vessel movement is being allowed, only with Coast Guard Captain of the Port approval.

A safety zone remains in effect.

The Captain of the Port has contacted a small number of vessels and allowed them to move through the safety zone, to a de-contamination site. The first vessel to be released, following decontamination yesterday, was OSG's Overseas New York.

Pressure washing the contaminated vessels is the most effective way to clean them. The oil that is washed off the vessel into the river is collected by containment boom and skimmed off the surface.

Meantime, efforts to contain and clean up the nearly 420,000 gallons of oil spilled in the lower Mississippi River continued Saturday. In a statement issued 1.30 PM Saturday, the Coast Guard said:

More than 48,000 gallons of an oil water/mix has been recovered to date.

Approximately 795 responders from four oil spill response organizations are currently deployed throughout the region affected by the spill. The responders are using approximately three tugs, 71 work boats, 7 barges, 33 skimmers, 10 vacuum trucks, to clean up the spill.

Approximately 188,000 feet of boom is deployed.

All water intakes are open except one near Boothville, close to mile marker 19.

A plan to salvage the barge is being developed.

Ninety-five vessels are currently waiting to transit the river. Approximately 50 vessels planning to transit the waterway are expected to arrive in the area throughout Sunday.

One oiled dove was captured and cleaned.

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