For specific information about the federal-wide response, visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/deepwater-bp-oil-spill.
The Waterkeeper Alliance, a worldwide alliance of Waterkeeper programs, has three Waterkeeper programs operating in the Gulf with a full time presence. The Alliance has set up a website with information about the crisis and the work and needs of the Waterkeeper Programs in the Gulf. saveourgulf.org,
To contact the Deepwater Horizon Joint Information Center, call (985) 902-5231.To volunteer, or to report oiled shoreline, call (866) 448-5816. Volunteer opportunities can also be found here.
To submit your vessel as a vessel of opportunity skimming system, or to submit alternative response technology, services, or products, call 281-366-5511
To report oiled wildlife, call (866) 557-1401. Messages will be checked hourly.
For information about validated environmental air and water sampling results, visit www.epa.gov/bpspill.
For National Park Service updates about potential park closures, resources at risk, and NPS actions to protect vital park space and wildlife, visit http://www.nps.gov/aboutus/oil-spill-response.htm.
For Fish and Wildlife Service updates about response along the Gulf Coast and the status of national wildlife refuges, visit http://www.fws.gov/home/dhoilspill/.
For daily updates on fishing closures, visit http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/.
For information on assistance loans for affected businesses, visit the SBA’s Web site at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance, call (800) 659-2955 (800-877-8339 for the hearing impaired), or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.
To file a claim with BP, visit www.bp.com/claims or call BP’s helpline at (800) 440-0858. A BP fact sheet with additional information is available here.
Those who have already pursued the BP claims process and are not satisfied with BP’s resolution, can call the Coast Guard at (800) 280-7118. More information about what types of damages are eligible for compensation under the Oil Pollution Act as well as guidance on procedures to seek that compensation can be found here.
Important NJ Coastal Protections Under Review--Public Participation Needed The Christie Administration is reviewing many of the environmental programs that protect the coast. They have begun a series of “stakeholder” and “work group” meetings to hear comments from interested parties, discuss issues and identify possible changes to current programs. The rules on coastal zone management, public access, water quality management planning, Barnegat Bay and proposed waivers to environmental standards are all included in this process. Some of these meetings are open to the public, others are by invitation only. The schedule for the meetings and the topics to be addressed are found at http://www.state.nj.us/dep/workgroups/.
The Littoral Society is participating in many of the meetings, advocating to strengthen the protection of our coast, clean water and special places like Barnegat Bay. However, lobbyists from developers, polluting industries and others opposed to strong environmental protection are equally active in trying to weaken protections. We would encourage you to follow this process, attend and participate and communicate to New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Robert Martin your support for increasing the protection of the coast, insuring expanded public access to tidal waters, cleaning up polluted waters and restoring impaired habitats. You can write to him at:
Mr. Robert Martin, Commissioner
NJ Department of Environmental Protection
401 East State Street
Trenton, NJ 08565
Outdated Nuclear Facility Adds to Barnegat Bay Woes
1.4 billion organisms entrained and 2.9 million impinged. 118,820,000 winter flounder entrained. 112 Billon clam larvae entrained. And the list goes on. These are the sobering findings of a 2007 study of marine life killed by the once-through cooling system in use at the Oyster Creek Nuclear Power Facility in Lacey NJ. These are numbers for only one year. For a long time, the American Littoral Society and other environmental groups have advocated for use of a "closed loop" cooling system that would use cooling towers instead of sucking in 85% of the volume of the bay each month and destroying all wildlife that comes with it.
The study was conducted by Exelon, the current owner of the Oyster Creek facility at the behest of the NJ Department of Environmental Protection. This was part of the re-licensing process. Despite the study’s disturbing findings the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has not yet required the much needed technology upgrade.
In case you are wondering, impinged refers to marine life being crushed against the protective mesh in place at the intake system. Entrained refers to being sucked through the mesh and into the system and killed by the heat and/or the chlorine added to the water to prevent oyster larvae and other wildlife from settling on the pipes.
NJ State Senator Bob Smith (D-Middlesex) has introduced legislation to require Exelon to replace the outdated system with a closed loop system (Senate Bill 3041). On December 14, the American Littoral Society testified before the Senate Environment Committee about the impacts of the plants current cooling system on Barnegat Bay and the need for the upgrade to the closed loop system that would use cooling towers. After 3 hours of testimony, including much misinformation and a lack of cooperation from Exelon, the Committee determined to postpone further action on the bill until 2010.
After the hearing, Senator Smith issued a statement in which he vows to make improving conditions in Barnegat Bay a priority of the NJ Senate Environment Committee in 2010.
For the past several years, the Society has made Barnegat Bay an area of special focus. We have educated the public about the threats to the Bay, the impact of those threats, and what can be done to reverse these disturbing trends. Check out our display, Barnegat Bay and You, currently in the Toms River Branch of the Ocean County Library (through the end of the year).
The Oyster Creek plant is one of many human factors that are harming the bay. Inappropriate development, land maintenance practices, and the resulting non-point source pollution are others. Each needs to be addressed aggressively. As we continue our work in 2010, we’ll be glad to have the support of coastal champions like Senator Smith. Check back here for updates on his proposed bill.
Read our fact sheet about the impact of upgrading the cooling system
Read our Executive Director’s testimony before the NJ Senate Environment Committee
Read Senator Smith’s Statement
Learn about our other work to protect and preserve Barnegat Bay
Other Ways We"re Working to Protect the Ocean
New Jersey Blue Ribbon Off-shore Wind Panel Final Report (Including Littoral Society Minority Report) download pdf
Littoral Society Issues Minority Report within Blue Ribbon Wind Panel Final Report, Press Release download pdf
Desperately Seeking Sea Room, by Kirk Moore, as published in National Fisherman Magazine, March 2006 download pdf
Let′s Not Rush Building Windmills by Tim Dillingham, as published in the Asbury Park Press, 01.25.05 download pdf
New Jersey Blue Ribbon Off-shore Wind Panel Interim Report (Executive Summary) download pdf