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 Oil Spill Document Links
Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

                                             

 

 

The City of Cape Coral is continuing to monitor daily updates related to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill.  Effects from the spill are not projected to impact Southwest Florida in the next 72 hours.

For the most up-to-date information on Florida’s Deepwater Horizon response, as well as health and safety tips, visit www.dep.state.fl.us/deepwaterhorizon.

The Florida Oil Spill Information Line serves as another resource to provide Florida residents and visitors with up-to-date information on Florida’s response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Residents and visitors may call the Florida Oil Spill Information Line for updates on the state’s response activities, information on volunteer opportunities, protective tips for homeowners and businesses, and safety and health tips.

The Florida Oil Spill Information Line will operate from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week until further notice. That number is:  (888) 337-3569.
 Latest Updates

June 16 Oil Spill Update

Southwest Florida falls under the U.S. Coast Guard Sector St. Pete Branch.  Operational response plans for this type of incident are carried out by implementing the Coast Guards “Area Contingency Plan”.  Counties in the Sector St. Pete Area of Operation have met with the Coast Guard and BP to update these plans. 

 

A “Florida Peninsula Command” has also stood up in Miami and will help coordinate overall response with the other Branches (St. Pete, Key West, Miami and Jacksonville).

 

U.S. Coast Guard Sector St. Pete continues their outreach to the counties in their Area of Operation by way of weekly unified conference calls (State/County/BP/Coast Guard).  Daily coordination calls with the State EOC also continue.

 

Since BP is the responsible party for this incident, they are tasked with (in direct coordination with the Coast Guard) deploying contractors and assets, should they be needed in our area.  “Trigger” plans are being developed by Unified Command as we speak to clearly show what actions will be taken when/if oil or tar balls approach.  These plans will include when and how assets will be mobilized to our area.

 

Coast Guard C130 Reconnaissance planes are flying daily to search for any oil nearing our coast.  If any suspicious areas are located closer to shore, Coast Guard boats are being deployed to investigate further.

 

The Florida Peninsula Command has three sentry vessels, with scientific support personnel aboard, monitoring the Loop Current and eddy for any signs of weathered oil that may be on a path to impact the Florida peninsula.

 

The Florida Peninsula Command is conducting regular aerial patrols over specific regions in the Gulf of Mexico that could be paths for weathered oil to reach the Florida peninsula coastline.

 

The Sentry program is designed to provide an early warning system to provide real-time ocean monitoring to identify any weathered oil products that may have entered the loop current and help provide a more accurate timeline as to when and where those products might appear near Florida shorelines. 

 

We believe this will provide us an additional 48 hours notice, which will help us to identify the amount of resources needed to respond effectively and where those resources should be placed. 

 

DEP and the Coast Guard continue to investigate any/all tar ball and oil sheen reports in our area.  Note that these reports do come in on a somewhat regular basis anyway, but b/c of the visibility of this incident, they have increased in number.  DEP and the Coast Guard will respond to these reports and send samples off for testing, if deemed appropriate.

 

Volunteering

Volunteers can register at www.floridadisaster.org.  Keep in mind that because oil products are considered hazardous, volunteers will not be able to work in direct contact with oil-contaminated materials.  If needed, volunteers can join with established organizations and/or plugged into any “support” activities as appropriate.

 

BP Live subsurface video feed: http://www.bp.com/liveassets/bp_internet/globalbp/globalbp_uk_english/homepage/STAGING/local_assets/bp_homepage/html/rov_stream.html

 

Latest Trajectories from NOAA: http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/go/doctype/2931/53979/

 

Volunteer FL: http://www.volunteerfloridadisaster.org/

 

Primary Deepwater Horizon Response Website: http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/

 

Vessels of Opportunity Program: http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/go/doc/2931/542683

 

USCG Sector St. Pete Area Contingency Plan: http://ocean.floridamarine.org/ACP/STPACP/StartHere.html

 

BP Claims: http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/go/doc/2931/542307

The City of Cape Coral is continuing to monitor daily updates related to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. 

Southwest Florida has not been impacted by the spill at this point.   Click here to view the Florida DEP Cabinet briefing from June 8.  
Business Update
Low Interest Loans Available For Businesses Affected By Oil Spill

Businesses in Lee County may qualify for low interest loans through the U.S. Small Business Administration as a result of economic losses believed to be created by the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill.

Businesses in Lee County may qualify for low interest loans through the U.S. Small Business Administration as a result of economic losses believed to be created by the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill.

Despite the fact that no oil has hit the shores of Lee County and none is expected, small businesses which do not qualify for economic loss grants from British Petroleum (BP), may qualify for the newly approved Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL). These loans offer up to $2 million at 3 percent or 4 percent interest for up to 30 years.

The EIDLs are working capital loans designed to help small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes meet their ordinary and necessary financial obligations that cannot be met as a direct result of the disaster in the Gulf. The loans are intended to assist through the disaster recovery period.

The deadline to apply is Feb. 14, 2011. For more information contact SBA Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at (800) 695-2955 or disastercustomerservice@sba.gov or www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance .

 

Business Update

The City of Cape Coral urges businesses to alert Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau (VCB) about consumer queries on the Deepwater Horizon oil spill by calling 338-3500 or email VCB@leegov.com. Watch this space for further updates.

Please send any comments and notices of cancellations to VCB@leegov.com. For an area-by-area reports throughout Florida, please visit the Visit Florida website at http://www.visitflorida.com/florida_travel_advisory/.

 

Also, since a picture is worth a thousand words, the VCB launched a unique website/Facebook interface called "The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel Now."  Users can upload photos and videos to the Lee VCB's Facebook page and these photos will be linked to the "The Beaches Now" page on fortmyers-sanibel.com.  Visitors will be able to view live web cams, current photos and videos.   The page will cross-promote Summer Sanctuary deals/guarantees, and provide easy links to updates on the current situation related to the oil spill. 


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