06-28-21 Bridgeport Barge Update #8 (Mayor Glasser)Search Facebook
Ellen Glasser
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Bridgeport Barge Update #8:
The June 24 edition of The Beaches Leader did not include the
findings of data released on June 22 from the independent
environmental assessment in connection to the spill of cargo from
the Bridgeport Barge, so I am providing this update about those
results and the reported response to the data by Dr. Quinton White,
Director of Jacksonville University's Marine Science Research
Institute. On June 22, the Florida Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP) endorsed a statement there were "no adverse
effects" from the cargo spill.
From a WJCT piece on June 22, Dr. White said he was "pleasantly
surprised' by the findings. "The material is not as hazardous as we
thought it was In most cases, the contaminant levels are below
regulatory limits* (see note at end), which is good news. It's not as
harmful as we feared.' But, to be fair, he has expressed a lot of
concerns and we are listening.
In summary we are told there is no evidence over the last three
months that the spilled cargo could have adverse effects to your
health. No public advisory was ever issued by the State and there
has been no evidence of beach contamination Yes, this is good
n ews, but there is still much to learn from this unfortunate and
protracted incident, and there are some gaps to address in my
o pinion.
I have heard from many of you and read concerns about the spilled
cargo, its composition, why we accept Puerto Rico's waste, how this
accident happened, concerns over the ecological life cycle and food
chain, and why it took so long to move it. Speaking for the City, It is
n ever a good thing when people ask, "Is it safe?" to swim in the
ocean. We have been listening and reporting this to DEP and other
elected officials.
For background, on March 22, the barge was heading into
Jacksonville from Puerto Rico when she hit the jetties and later ran
aground about 1 mile off the Jacksonville shore of Hanna Park.
Onboard were more than 14,300 tons of Agremax, commonly
referred to a coal ash. The EPA classifies it as solid waste, not as
hazardous waste. According to media reports, it was on its way to a
Georgia landfill, because the Puerto Rican government does not
allow its disposal there.
For more than six weeks, the cargo compartment remained intact,
with no discharge of cargo reported, but I can attest that the
salvage operation was extremely challenging. In mid-May, following
shifts in the barge's position during bad weather, hatches covering
the cargo compartment blew off, and thousands of tons of cargo
spilled into the ocean.
A unified response team was quickly formed to work with the
responsible party (Dann Ocean Towing), and the unified command
was comprised of state and federal agencies having primary
jurisdiction: the U.S Coast Guard (USCG), DEP, and the Florida Fish
and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). A full and
independent environmental assessment was required and
conducted by Research Planning, Inc. (RPI), of South Carolina. Like
many, we were frustrated as we awaited the results of the
assessment that included sediment and water samples, both at the
barge site and in background locations. As already noted, no
adverse impacts to public health or to the marine ecosystem were
reported.
Because this incident was not within our municipal jurisdiction, the
City's posture throughout was to provide public updates and to stay
in close contact with the unified response team. I can report that all
have been open and extremely responsive to ALL of our inquiries. To
inform our residents, we have used Facebook posts and our
website, we have responded to media and public inquiries, and we
have referred folks to a public website (maintained by the
responsible party but with oversight of the unified response group).
We have posted pre -incident data from metal testing of the
Agremax material loaded onto the barge in Puerto Rico along with
the post -incident RPI data. We have acknowledged and appreciated
the role of the media to keep the public informed. If you want to
know more about what we have done, please check out the top item
on our website: www.coab.us .
On June 25, the barge was - finally - relocated safely off our
coastline. But this is not over.
We will learn from the DEP on any enforcement of the unauthorized
spill. We will learn from the USCG on its investigation of the barge
accident. Here in Atlantic Beach we will learn the results of our own
testing of shore water samples. I have and will continue to reach out
to local, state, and federal elected and government officials, local
experts, and environmental groups to engage with them about
lessons learned and possible recommendations.
* There were elevated values for Barium and Boron in surface water.
Of note, these values were reported in BOTH the near -barge AND
background locations — indicating these are the baseline levels
within this region (summarized from the DEP-endorsed statement).
#WeAreAB
24, 2021
E BEACHES
Vol. 59, No. 1 Serving the commtmittes d Atlantic Brach, Jacksonville Beach, Nephew Beach,
EADER
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