Date: June 30, 2006

Contact: Information Officer
(281) 854-1306

A. Shawn Trahan, CITGO                                                 (337) 708-6347

CALCASIEU SHIP CHANNEL OPENS TO PRIORITIZED COMMERCIAL TRAFFIC

LAKE CHARLES, La. - A successful deep draft vessel transit was conducted this morning in the Calcasieu Ship Channel, paving way for limited commerical traffic to pass through the channel.

Under limited and controlled conditions, outbound tug and barge traffic, as well as deep draft vessels, are allowed to transit the channel during daylight hours as prioritized by the Unified Command.  Inbound vessel traffic is still restricted but scheduled to begin sometime tomorrow.

A temporary Vessel Traffic Service, staffed by Coast Guard personnel and industry stakeholders, is coordinating commercial vessel traffic transitting both the  Calcasieu Ship Channel and Intracoastal Waterway.

The Coast Guard continues to have a safety zone on the Calcasieu River Channel from light 92, which is just south of the intersection with the Intracoastal Waterway, to light 116, which is just north of the I-210 Bridge.

The safety zone is in place primarily to protect recreational boaters from having their boats damaged or soiled from the remaining oil and hazardous conditions associated with ongoing clean up operations.

The Intracoastal Waterway also remains closed to recreational traffic between the Calcasieu Locks and mile marker 242. 

Prien Lake and Moss Lake also remain closed.  For additional information about waterway safety zones please call the Public Information Desk at 281-854-1306 or 1307.

An estimated 13,736 barrels of oil were removed from the river, and another 23,548 barrels were removed from the Indian Marais, as of this afternoon, which brings the total to 37,285 barrels removed to date.

Overall response information as of today: 

    *More than 1,400 response personnel are working around the clock to safely remove the oil

    * More than 30,000 feet of boom deployed

    * 65 skimmers, 40 vacuum trucks, 19 barges and 162 boats are cleaning the spill 

    * Air monitoring and site safety continues to be conducted by response personnel 

There are 30 vessels in the safety zone and 10 waiting to enter the port, as of this morning.

Response personnel continue to monitor the impact to the environment and wildlife.

Any boater who comes across an animal affected by the spill should contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at 1-800-213-5540.  Members of the public should not attempt to capture the animal under any circumstances, but try and identify it and report its location.

CITGO has established a toll-free claims number for the incident.  Affected individuals may call 1-800-213-5540 for more information.  A separate number has been established for claims related to exterior boat cleaning.  That number is 337-708-7177.

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