Office of External Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard

Date: Jul. 11, 2008

Contact:  Lt. Armell Balmaceda
(361) 939-6277

UPDATE 2:  CHEMICAL RELEASE CONTAINED WITHIN VESSEL 

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - Coast Guard boat crews from Station Port Aransas have set up a 1 mile safety zone around vessel VENUSGAS within the La Quinta marine channel in Ingleside, Texas until 4:30 p.m. today while a space inside the vessel is being ventilated.

Alarms reported the release of vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) early yesterday morning at the Occidental chemical facility.  The source of the release was the VENUSGAS which was moored at the end of their pier.  After a hazardous materials inspection team entered the vessel this morning and began ventilating the space, all levels of VCM are reported to be negligible and contained within the vessel.  The ventilation of the space has no impact on the outlying community.

The Coast Guard is working closely with the Occidental chemical facility and the Portland Fire Chief to monitor the situation.

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U.S. Coast Guard - Saving lives since 1790