 |
May 4, 2010
BP gives $100 million to help Coast prepare
GULFPORT — In a conference call today with state and local officials, British Petroleum vowed to give $100 million in grants to be divided equally among the governments of four Gulf Coast states.
The money will be used to instantly speed the implementation of area contingency plans to address the removal of the oil in cities and counties along the Coast.
“This is an enormous step forward from BP,” Mayor George Schloegel said. “This will be a giant help to local governments along the Coast, many of which are still feeling the financial impact of Katrina and the global recession.”
The state Department of Environmental Quality and the state Department of Marine Resources expect to have an application process for local governments developed in the coming days.
One of the major concerns express by local governments in recent days was how each would fund preparations. Mayors and county leaders told BP officials that financially it would be difficult to prepare as fully as they would have liked without some assistance up front.
Today, the oil company answered those concerns. The $25 million, per state grant is supplemental to the regular claims process that BP has already established.
Coast Guard expands command
The Coast Guard reports there are now 10 Remotely Operated Vehicles assigned to the Deepwater Horizon response with four more on the way, while the Coast Guard continues to evaluate the 24-hour continuous sub-sea dispersant trial.
In the next 24-48 hours, the USCG plans to expand area commands to include representatives from Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts winds for today as variable at 5 knots with smooth seas (2 feet or less) and no chance of rain until May 10.
The next cold front is forecasted for Friday, May 7, through Saturday, possibly increasing winds and the chance of showers and thunderstorms.
The amount of boom deployed, to date, is 486,940 feet. The USCG has not received any confirmed reports of oil reaching any shorelines. The U.S. Department of Interior announced restrictions on fishing in portions of the Gulf of Mexico for a minimum of 10 days in federal waters most affected by the spill (more than 6,800 square miles from the mouth of the Mississippi to waters off Pensacola Bay, Fla.).
The National Infrastructure Coordinating Center reports the State of Louisiana plans to collect baseline contaminant samples from Vermilion Bay near the center of the state coast and Calcasieu Lake at the western end of the coast. Shipping channels and ports remain open in the Gulf Coast Region.
Please visit our Oil Spill resource page for more information.
Office of Public Information - rlafontaine@gulfport-ms.gov - Phone: 228-868-5782
P.O. Box 1780 Gulfport, MS 39502-1780 - FAX: 868-5800
