BURAS, LA - JUNE 11: A pelican covered in oil is cleaned at the Fort Jackson Oiled Wildlife Rehabilitation Center on June 11, 2010 in Buras, Louisiana. It is thought that thousands of birds and other wildlife have been contaminated due to the oil spi …
HOUSTON - Officials are monitoring an oil spill reported on Monday morning near Lake Charles, Louisiana.
Pollution responders with the Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit in Lake Charles say they received a report around 8:15 a.m. about an unknown quantity of oil in the water of an industrial canal north of Choupique Island.
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The responders say they went to the location along with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office Marine Division, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ), and the Lake Charles Fire Department.
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Coast guard officials say about 630 gallons of crude oil leaked into the bay before they could deploy containment around it.
According to reports, an oil spill response organization, OMI Environmental Solutions, was hired by Martin Energy Services. They used more than 2,000 feet of boom and contained the oil spill along the Lake Charles Industrial Canal bank.
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The Coast Guard says LDWF rescued seven oiled pelicans from the sight spill and environmental assessments is still ongoing.
Officials say traffic was stopped along the Intracoastal Waterway during the first assessment and cleanup, however, the Intracoastal Waterway is not impacted and has been reopened to marine traffic.
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Marine Safety Unit teams are working closely with the Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator’s Office, LDEQ, LDWF, and Martin Energy Services to clean up impacted areas, reduce environmental impacts, and recover the spilled oil.