“This is an extremely serious spill,” Capt. Brian Penoyer, US Coast Guard

[Faryn Balyncd]

TEXAS CITY — A collision between a barge and a ship Saturday near the Texas City Dike spilled 160,000 gallons of heavy oil into Galveston Bay.The accident forced authorities to evacuate the dike and surrounding areas — and to close the Houston Ship Channel.Authorities also suspended operations of the ferry between Galveston and Port Bolivar. Traffic in and out of the ports of Texas City and Galveston was also suspended. . . . The barge was carrying about 924,000 gallons of bunker oil, according to a report from the U.S. Coast Guard. Coast Guard Capt. Brian Penoyer said late Saturday that 160,000 gallons, or 3,800 barrels, of the oil leaked from the barge into the bay.

“This is an extremely serious spill,” he said. “This is a persistent oil. It’s a large quantity. It will spread. People should be aware of that.”

Bunker oil or bunker fuel is a heavy crude and highly polluting oil that also is referred to bottom of the barrel oil...


http://www.galvestondailynews.com/free/article_6340123e-b1fc-11e3-987d-0017a43b2370.html

Texas City dike closed after barge and ship collide
By Anita Hassan, Jayme Fraser, Harvey Rice, Ingrid Lobet | March 22, 2014 | Updated: March 23, 2014 7:23pm



http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Texas-City-dike-closed-after-barge-and-ship-5341213.php?cmpid=hpfc#photo-6062667



"Vessels work with skimmers and oil containment booms in Galveston Harbor on Sunday, March 23, 2014, in Galveston. Dozens of ships are in evolved in clean-up efforts to remove up to 168,000 gallons of oil that make have spilled into Galveston Bay after a ship and barge collided near the Texas City dike on Saturday afternoon."




"A dead oil covered bird is shown washed ashore on the beach area along Boddeker Rd. on the east end of Galveston near the ship channel Sunday, March 23, 2014 in Galveston."





"Oil containment booms cuts across a sand bar covered with birds on Pelican Island on Sunday, March 23, 2014, in Galveston, Texas. Dozens of ships are in evolved in clean-up efforts to remove up to 168,000 gallons of oil that make have spilled into Galveston Bay after a ship and barge collided near the Texas City dike on Saturday afternoon."





article, and more photos at:

http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Texas-City-dike-closed-after-barge-and-ship-5341213.php?cmpid=hpfc#photo-6062667

[NightWatcher]

1. I'm so sick of oil spills in the Gulf

I worked the big one a couple years back and it was enough to make you completely sick of the oil industry. I'm off the water for good now due to health reasons but it's so depressing trying to clean up the messes and take care of the animals that pay the ultimate price for living on the same planet as us.

The view from shore is dotted with oil and gas rigs as far as the eye can see in some places. Traffic from the oil industry, supply boats and head boats taking crews and supplies out to the rigs, and the waste that comes from the boats makes certain parts of the Gulf downright ugly. The Mississippi is a highway on the water and is such a mess. The Texas part of the Gulf is not much better. It's a race to use the resources and leave the last guy there holding the bag for the cleanup.

[Faryn Balyncd]

2. They are sickening.

[Peregrine Took]

3. This can't go on!

Something has to be done about these frigging oil spills.

[onestepforward]

4. We are destroying our only home

so a handful of people can make a lot of money.

It just makes me sick.

[XemaSab]

5. I wonder how many weeks it's going to be before Obama says anything

and how many weeks after that he announces we're moving forward with Keystone.

/cynical

[onestepforward]

6. "Spill comes at 'worst time' for wildlife in Galveston Bay"

http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Spill-comes-at-worst-time-for-wildlife-in-5342986.php?cmpid=hpfc

-snip-

"This is devastating," said James Stork, 46, a Galveston native who owns a medical staffing company. "I think cleanup is going to be a lot more than they expected. It's really going to affect the economy for people who depend on fishing and shrimping,"

The spill also comes at the "worst time" for tens of thousands of shore and seabirds, an estimated 50,000 of which roost at the Bolivar Flats refuge only about two miles from where the spill occurred, according to Richard Gibbons, conservation director for the Houston Audubon Society.

"We're at the peak of the birding season. In a couple weeks, there's a birding festival," said Anna Armitage, a professor at Texas A&M University's Galveston branch who is an expert on marshes and marine habitats. "This is one of the worst times for birds to be potentially exposed."

Experts said it is too soon to say how extensive the environmental and economic damage will be. But fishermen said they were already throwing back oil-covered catches.
-snip-

[burrowowl]

7. Again and Again!

What the FUCK! WHY!

[TheKentuckian]

8. If we make a big ass stink perhaps a small fine will be levied and called an act of courage

because brainless and wicked TeaPubliKlans will cry and apologize and the corporate media whines!

I don't know what it will take to move this needle to a life sustaining groove but we need to do it for survival of any sort.