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"We started actually mobilizing equipment salvage engineers and everything right after the event happened into the 21st of April," he added. Allen Outlines Federal Role in Oil Spill Response ". . . In a White House news conference today, Allen outlined the basic command-and-control structure for how oil spill response works. He told reporters that although the federal government has oversight, the spiller is responsible for financing cleanup, equipment and recouping damaging, according to the Oil Pollution Act of 1990. In the Gulf of Mexico, the oil company BP is the accountable party, Allen said. The legislation was passed after the Exxon Valdez spill, and also created a liability trust fund to fund responses where there was no responsible party. The legislation charges Coast Guard area commanders with responsibility in those zones. These captain of the port zones work with state and local officials and stakeholders to develop protection plans, mainly for "sensitive areas," he said. Captain of the port zones are present on every single part of the coastline of the United States. When they have to activate a response, the local Coast Guard commander is designated the federal on-scene coordinator and coordinates with state and local governments and directs the responsible party in the cleanup, the admiral explained. "That is the way we have been prosecuting this case since the explosion on the Deepwater Horizon on the 20th of April," he said. "Even in advance of the sinking of the drilling unit, we were staging equipment that was against the scenario we would have a worst-case spill. "We started actually mobilizing equipment salvage engineers and everything right after the event happened into the 21st of April," he added. "This is not policy," he said. "This is a command-and-control structure. It's actually contained in the Code of Federal Regulations that implements the Oil Pollution Act of 1990. So there are actually clear definitions." Allen said the federal response team "needs to make sure execute their responsibilities as the responsible party and we carry out our responsibilities and be accountable as the federal on-scene coordinators."
Allen also explained that in this role, the federal government can issue an order to BP to apply resources in a particular way if the government is not pleased with BP's method. However, BP, or the responsible party, is the one with the means to deal with the spill. The military does not have the equipment or technology to address the Gulf Coast spill alone, he said.
"Ultimately, we are accountable to make sure ," he said. "The law requires them to play a certain role, to pay for it, to provide equipment and so forth, and particularly with trying to deal with a leak on the bottom of the ocean there -- 5,000 feet down."
While BP works to cap the leak, states have requested support from the Army Corps of Engineers to prevent oil damage ashore. Louisiana has applied for a permit that suggests establishing a system of barrier islands and berm structures, the admiral said.
The Army is evaluating the requests and looking at costs and schedule as well as issues the engineers may face. Building the barrier islands could take as long nine months. The review is still ongoing by the Army and Coast Guard, he added.
Other U.S. military support comes from the Air Force, who has been conducting aerial spray missions to help in neutralizing the oil spill with dispersing agents. Also, the Air Force is transporting boom from Alaska. Meanwhile, the Navy is supplying vessels to act as staging platforms for BP workers and equipment.
http://www.dvidshub.net/?script=news/news_show.php&id=50206
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VENICE, La. – The Louisiana National Guard's construction of the Tiger Dam shoreline protection system near Venice, La., in the southwest pass of the Mississippi River Delta continues to move ahead.
"Our engineers continue to work to complete this project to protect coastal areas and provide a layered defense to lessen the impact of shoreline oiling," said 1st Lt. Rebekah L. Andersen, platoon leader with the 1023rd Vertical Engineer Company, 528th Engineer Battalion.
The 1023rd, headquartered in Oak Grove, La., has constructed nearly two miles of the 7.1 mile barrier across a beach in the southwest pass as a secondary line of defense to the boom line to protect the natural marshlands.
The location of the work site requires Soldiers to be airlifted in and out daily by UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters from the 1st battalion of the 244th Aviation Regiment based in Hammond, La.
Additionally, all of the inflatable barrier material and equipment was sling loaded and dropped in place.
"By being out here day to day and seeing the sand washed up against the dam, we can tell it's working," said Spc. Benjamin K. Davis.
This water diversion system, normally used for flood control, replaces sandbags and is comprised of a series of interlocking flexible tubes that are inflated with water to form a temporary dam or levee.
As work crews layout the Tiger Dam material for assembly and inflation, other crews work pumps to fill water into tubular sections.
"We just want everyone to know that we're here to do our mission, and we will do it as effectively as possible," said Andersen of Coffeyville, Kan. "We know that the community is in support of our activities overseas, but it seems a bit more personal when they see us working stateside." http://www.dvidshub.net/?script=news/news_show.php&id=50005
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Louisiana Guardsmen Continue to Push in Grand Isle
GRAND ISLE, La. – The Louisiana National Guard is conducting around-the-clock operations to fill in a breach near Grand Isle, La., in support of operations related to the oil spill off the coast of Louisiana.
Guardsmen of the 922nd Horizontal Engineer Company, 769th Engineer Battalion, have been working day and night to fill in a 700 foot gap on Elmer's Island in an effort to keep oil tainted water out of an area that is critical to Louisiana's shrimp and tourism industry.
"It is important that we keep this operation continuous," said Staff Sgt. Robert L. Lanclos, who is in charge of the night time operations. "If we were to take nightly breaks before the entire mission was complete, the water's current would push and break the sand. Each morning we would be back to square one."
Using five dump trucks, the Guardsmen travel about two miles round trip along the shore line to pick up and drop the sand.
After the dump trucks drop the sand, a dozer pushes and packs it into place.
"It is a really complex mission, but the engineers can handle it," said Lanclos. "Because we are working after nightfall, we make sure safety is an important element, especially working so close to water." http://www.dvidshub.net/?script=news/news_show.php&id=49502
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Gates Approves Federal Money for Guard Units in Gulf
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has given verbal approval to the governors of Alabama, Mississippi and Florida for Title 32 status for National Guardsmen to help to combat the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
The requests are in addition to Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal's request for up to 6,000 National Guardsmen to be covered under Title 32 authority that the secretary approved yesterday, Pentagon spokesman Marine Corps Col. David Lapan said.
Alabama requested up to 3,000 Guardsmen, Mississippi requested 6,000, and Florida requested up to 2,500. Louisiana has employed about 1,200 Guardsmen on Title 32 status, and they are providing command-and-control and sandbagging assistance in St. Bernard and Plaquemine parishes.
Guardsmen possibly could be used in communications, logistics, transportation, assessment, medical, aviation support and shoreline clean-up, Lapan said.
Once the secretary gives approval for the Guard units to operate under Title 32 authority, "what puts them into action are requests from the on-scene federal coordinator," Lapan said.
Most of the 1,200 Louisiana Guardsmen are from the 225th Engineer Brigade with headquarters in Pineville, La. However, many of the volunteers are from the brigade's battalions located throughout the state, said Army Col. Mike Deville, state public affairs officer.
All Guardsmen are receiving Occupational Safety and Health Administration training as they come on duty to deal with contaminants when and if they come ashore.
The Guardsmen have pre-positioned a package of engineering and logistics equipment to be able to respond as quickly as needed, and they've helped the Coast Guard load booms on boats for deployment. They also are running aviation missions not only to provide reconnaissance of the oil slick, but also to ensure that boom equipment hasn't shifted position, officials said.
. . . "We have a good construct to operate in," McKinley said during a Defense Writers Group breakfast today. The Coast Guard is the lead federal agency in the crisis, and National Guard leaders in the region have a good working relationship with the service, McKinley said.
Title 32 authority means the Guardsmen continue to work for the governors of the states, McKinley said. "It also gives the federal government the opportunity to recover the funds through the Oil-Spill Recovery Act," he said. http://www.dvidshub.net/?script=news/news_show.php&id=49134
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Pentagon Prepares for Possible Oil Spill Response
Date: 04.29.2010
Posted: 04.29.2010 06:19
WASHINGTON - A massive oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico that's headed toward U.S. shores is receiving "top-level attention" within the Defense Department as it evaluates what capabilities it may have to support the response mission, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said April 29.
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen, U.S. Northern Command, the Joint Staff and the Navy are working in close collaboration with the White House and Department of Homeland Security to determine what assets are required, Morrell said.
"The secretary is prepared for us to help in any way," Morrell said as he reported "a full-blown effort within this department to try to find the kinds of things that could be helpful."
Morrell predicted that decisions could be made soon, particularly in light of President Barack Obama's announcement April 29 that he had stepped up the federal response effort.
"I think it's clear that this is a ... priority for the president and his administration," Morrell told reporters. "So we're going to work as quickly as possible to get him the answers he's looking for."
After the evaluation, the goal is to move as quickly as possible to provide the resources needed, Morrell said. In the meantime, planners at Northcom are planning for a variety of possible missions.
A defense coordinating officer and defense coordinating element from Northcom's Region Six are deploying to support the federal on-scene commander, and their counterparts in Region Four have been told to prepare to deploy, Jamie Graybeal, a Northcom spokesman, said.
Meanwhile, the Navy is providing salvage support as part of an existing agreement with the Coast Guard, Graybeal said.
Morrell emphasized, however, that industry has much of the technology and assets required to support such a mission. "So frankly, you want to work ... hand in glove with industry here, because in some cases, they're going to have ... better assets than we would," he said. http://www.dvidshub.net/?script=news/news_show.php&id=48904
From May 7th:
Military Support Continues on Gulf Coast
WASHINGTON - Military support continues May 7 as part of an interagency response force that's working to clean up an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
The Air Force flew six aerial spray operation sorties May 6 with C-130 Hercules aircraft to help in neutralizing the oil spill with dispersing agents. Ten more sorties are scheduled in the coming days, Pentagon spokesman Army Lt. Col. Robert Ditchey said May 7.
The two C-130 crews are assigned to the 910th Airlift Wing's 757th Airlift Squadron based at Youngstown Air Reserve Station, Ohio. They are deployed to and operating out of Stennis International Airport, Miss.
Meanwhile, the Navy is sustaining logistical support, equipment and assistance in skimming and salvage operations. The Navy has provided 66,000 feet of inflatable oil boom with mooring equipment, 16 rapid deployment skimmer systems and 44 contractors to assist in the efforts.
The Naval Construction Battalion Center in Gulfport, Miss., has received the Navy equipment at the Mississippi State Dock. The equipment will be deployed as necessary. On-scene coordinators in support of the Department of Homeland Security and the Coast Guard are coordinating this effort, Ditchey said.
Also, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla., is acting as a staging facility for BP contractor-provided equipment, such as containment booms, recovery barges, tractor-trailer trucks, pumps and other equipment, he added.
...The governors of Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida and Alabama have declared states of emergency. More than 1,000 National Guard Soldiers and Air National Guard personnel have been called to action along the Gulf Coast. http://www.dvidshub.net/?script=news/news_show.php&id=49297
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