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Case: West
Champagne Bay, Louisiana
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Date of incident: April 19, 2005.
Location:
Jefferson Parish, Louisiana.
Trustees:
Case status:
Restoration Planning Phase.
Overview: On April 19, 2005, the state and federal natural resource trustees were notified of an
unauthorized discharge of crude oil from a subsurface pipeline located in the
Barataria estuary. An estimated 25,200 gallons of crude oil were released into
West Champagne Bay in the vicinity of Mendicant Island, approximately 4 miles
north of Grand Isle, Louisiana, Jefferson Parish. The pipeline was owned and
operated by ExxonMobil Pipeline Company (EMPCo), the Responsible Party. While
the U.S. Coast Guard, state and federal response agencies, and the Responsible
Party 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 preassessment activities, the Trustees determined that
injuries to salt marsh 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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