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Case: Lake Washington,
Louisiana
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Date of incident: March 2, 2003.
Location:
Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana.
Trustees:
Case status:
Restoration Planning Phase.
Overview: On March 2, 2003, the state and federal natural resource
trustees were notified of an unauthorized discharge of crude oil from a
subsurface pipeline in the Barataria estuary. An estimated 41,790 gallons of
crude oil were released into coastal waters in the vicinity of Lake Washington,
approximately eight miles south-southwest of Port Sulfur, Plaquemines Parish,
Louisiana. The pipeline is owned and operated by ExxonMobil Pipeline Company
(EMPCo), the Responsible Party. While the U.S. Coast Guard, state, and federal
response agencies, and the EMPCo, worked to contain and clean up the oil, the
state and federal natural resource trustees initiated a natural resource damage
assessment (NRDA) and collected information during the preassessment phase.
Based on information collected during response and preassessment activities,
the Trustees determined that injuries to brackish marsh, tidally exposed
mudflats, and birds potentially occurred as a result of the incidents. Based on
preassessment findings, the Trustees elected to enter into restoration planning
in order to develop restoration alternatives that will restore, replace,
rehabilitate, or acquire the equivalent of natural resources injured and/or
natural resource services lost as a result of this incident.
NOAA has a long history of addressing contaminants in Louisiana, and restoration options are
available. NOAA is working cooperatively with the federal and state natural
resource co-trustees and EMPCo during assessment and restoration planning
activities. The extent and severity of contamination and its effect on natural
resources and their services will determine the amount and type of restoration
needed to address any associated injuries.
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