Media, boaters could face criminal penalties by violating Coast Guard 'safety zone' around oil cleanup operations

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Media, boaters could face criminal penalties by violating Coast Guard 'safety zone' around oil cleanup operations

Published: Thursday, July 01, 2010, 2:10 PM Updated: Thursday, July 01, 2010, 3:35 PM


Chris Kirkham, The Times-Picayune

The Coast Guard has put new restrictions in place in Louisiana that prevent the public -- including photographers and reporters covering the oil spill -- from coming within 65 feet of any response vessels or booms out on the water or on beaches.

Photos by Susan Poag / The Times-Picayune

Contract workers remove oil debris from the far side of booms on the beach at Grand Isle State Park on June 10. The Coast Guard has placed new restrictions preventing the public, including reporters, from coming within 65 feet of vessels or booms on the water or beaches.

On Tuesday the Coast Guard established an even stricter "safety zone" of more than 300 feet, but reduced the distance to 65 feet on Wednesday. According to a release from the Unified Command, violation of the safety zone rules can result in a civil penalty of up to $40,000, and could be classified as a Class D felony.

"The safety zone has been put in place to protect members of the response effort, the installation and maintenance of oil containment boom, the operation of response equipment and protection of the environment by limiting access to and through deployed protective boom," according to the release.

In order to get within the 65-foot limit, media must call the Coast Guard Captain of the Port of New Orleans, Edwin Stanton, to get permission.
Because booms are often placed more than 10 feet outside of islands or marsh grasses, the 65-foot rule would make it difficult to photograph and document the impacts of oil on land and wildlife.

Thad Allen, the national incident commander for the oil spill, said in a press briefing this afternoon that it is "not unusual at all" for the Coast Guard to establish such a safety zone, likening it to a safety measure that would be enacted for "marine events" or "fireworks demonstrations."

Allen said he had received some complaints from county commissioners and mayors in Florida; he said BP had not brought up the issue.

"Once presented with it, it was a logical thing to do," Allen said.

http://gulfoilspill.blogspot.com/2010/07/news-from-associated-press.html

 

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Re: Media, boaters could face criminal penalties by violating Coast Guard 'safety zone' around oil cleanup operations

Press Briefing by Press Secretary Robert Gibbs and National Incident Commander Thad Allen, 7/1/2010

James S. Brady Press Briefing Room

Excerpt:


Q For Admiral Allen, can you talk about this new 20-meter safety zone, and if that was done at BP?s request, or what the reason is to do this at this stage in the crisis?

ADMIRAL ALLEN: Can you be more specific?

Q The safety zone for vessels around plumes and other oil response.

ADMIRAL ALLEN: Oh. It?s not unusual at all for the Coast Guard to establish either safety or security zones around any number of facilities or activities for public safety and for the safety of the equipment itself. We would do this for marine events, fireworks demonstrations, cruise ships going in and out of port.

Q Right, but we?re so far into this disaster now, why do it now and why the new --

ADMIRAL ALLEN: I actually had some personal complaints from some county commissioners in Florida and some other local mayors that thought that there was a chance that somebody would get hurt or they would have a problem with the boom itself -- had not presented itself before, but once presented with it, the logical thing to do.

Q So it wasn?t a BP request?

ADMIRAL ALLEN: Not at all.


.../
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press...gibbs-and-national-incident-commander-thad-al

 

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Re: Media, boaters could face criminal penalties by violating Coast Guard 'safety zone' around oil cleanup operations

BP Reiterates Media Access Policy

Release date: 01 July 2010

Everyone involved in the response effort should "feel free to talk" to media about their experiences.

BP today offered additional guidance and clarification to all personnel to ensure that members of the response team ? including, but not limited to, all government, BP, and contract personnel ? know they are free to talk to the media.
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"I want to thank everyone for their tremendous commitment to lead and support the response and cleanup efforts," said Doug Suttles, COO of BP.

"I really cannot say this enough: BP wants all individuals to feel free to share their thoughts and experiences with journalists, if they so choose.

BP has not and will not prevent anyone from sharing his or her own experiences, opinions, or views."
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BP has provided guidelines and "media access cards" (samples attached) to be distributed at all levels of operations. The cards include helpful tips and a 1-800 number personnel can call for more information.
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<!-- External type --><!-- new window -->View media access cards

http://www.bp.com/genericarticle.do?categoryId=2012968&contentId=7063384

 

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Re: Media, boaters could face criminal penalties by violating Coast Guard 'safety zone' around oil cleanup operations

This is confusing here. According to BP's new statement, there is no problem to talk to workers but I believe that the workers are located at the "cleaning operations". So with the new law, to avoid criminal charges and up to $40 000 fine, a distance of 65 feet must be respected for the interviews?

 

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Re: Media, boaters could face criminal penalties by violating Coast Guard 'safety zone' around oil cleanup operations

DATE: July 04, 2010 21:29:22 CST

Statement on concerns about recently enacted safety zones

The following is a statement from Megan Moloney, spokesperson for BP Deepwater Horizon Response National Incident Commander Adm. Thad Allen, on concerns that recently enacted safety zones will limit media access to oil spill locations.

"Since the beginning of the response to the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster, federal agencies have worked to provide timely and factual information to the public, make personnel available to the media, and provide access to areas and operations the press could not reach on their own. At the same time, we have directed BP and its contractors to not restrict public access unless safety or security is jeopardized while recognizing that private individuals hired by contractors cannot be compelled to speak to the press.?

The results of this openness speak for themselves: federal officials have conducted hundreds of daily press briefings and conference calls, conducted thousands of interviews, and posted thousands of documents and images of, not only this historic response, but also the tragic impacts of this continuing oil leak. In addition, response assets have provided press access to field operations nearly 700 times during the last two months including those areas hardest hit by this tragedy.

?While a handful of sporadic instances have occurred where members of the media were turned away from certain areas by private entities, local law enforcement or non-leadership personnel, the constant stream of images on television and the robust amount of information available is testament to the fact these instances are the exception, not the rule.?

?Last week Coast Guard Captains of the Port in the region put in place limited, small waterside safety zones around protective boom and those vessels actively responding to this spill. This was required due to recent instances of protective boom being vandalized or broken by non-response vessels getting too close. These 20-meter zones are only slightly longer than the distance from a baseball pitcher's mound to home plate. This distance is insignificant when gathering images. In fact, these zones, which do not target the press, can and have been opened for reporters as required.

 It is unfortunate that the safety zones are needed at all, but the responsibility of officials is to wage the most effective and safest response possible while best supporting factual and open reporting.

That will continue until BP caps its leaking well and the cleanup is complete."

For information about the response effort, visit www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com.

http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/go/doc/2931/737751/

 

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Re: Media, boaters could face criminal penalties by violating Coast Guard 'safety zone' around oil cleanup operations

From post #5:

"federal officials have conducted hundreds of daily press briefings and conference calls, conducted thousands of interviews, and posted thousands of documents and images of, not only this historic response, but also the tragic impacts of this continuing oil leak"

These are the most recent Photos release from Deepwater Horizon Response:

July 04, 2010
PHOTO RELEASE: Small Craft from Coast Guard Cutter Resolute Support Oil Spill Response

<TABLE align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>

</TD></TR><TR><TD>GULF OF MEXICO-Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Malcolm Kennedy steers the small boat detached from the Resolute as Fireman Ryan Leonard looks out for boat traffic while motoring near the Deepwater Horizon site, July 4, 2010. The Resolute, home-ported in St.Petersburg, Fla., is serving as a search and rescue guard to help support and protect people and ships involved in the largest oil spill response in history. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Matthew Belson.

<TABLE align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">
July 04, 2010
PHOTO RELEASE: "A Whale" Testing In Gulf Of Mexico



</TD></TR><TR><TD>GULF OF MEXICO-The Coast Guard Cutter Resolute appears to be dwarfed by the stern of the M/V "A Whale" while conducting a test of its oil skimming capabilities on open water as part of the Deepwater Horizon response July 4, 2010. The converted tanker ship is being evaluated on the effectiveness of its untested oil recovery systems. The ship was recently converted in Lisbon, Portugal in June with the hope that it could dramatically increase the amount of oil collected on the surface from the BP oil spill. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Matthew Belson.</TD></TR><TR><TD style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"></TD></TR><TR><TD>GULF OF MEXICO-The M/V "A Whale" conducts a test of its oil skimming capabilities on open water as part of the Deepwater Horizon response July 4, 2010. The converted tanker ship is being evaluated on the effectiveness of its untested oil recovery systems. The ship was recently converted in Lisbon, Portugal in June with the hope that it could dramatically increase the amount of oil on the surface from the BP oil spill. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Matthew Belson.
July 04, 2010


PHOTO RELEASE: Coast Guard Cutter Resolute Supports Oil Spill Response

<TABLE align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>

</TD></TR><TR><TD>GULF OF MEXICO-A Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin helicopter flies overhead as the Coast Guard Cutter Resolute steams near Deepwater Horizon spill site, July 4, 2010. The Resolute, home-ported in St.Petersburg, Fla., is serving as a search and rescue guard to help support and protect people and ships involved in the largest oil spill response in history. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Matthew Belson.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>​

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Multimedia

July 03, 2010
PHOTO RELEASE: Rear Adm. Zukunft conducts overflight of Louisiana Parishes
<TABLE align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>

</TD></TR><TR><TD>VENICE, La. - U.S. Coast Guard Rear Adm. Paul Zukunft conducts an overflight of the Louisiana marshlands to evaluate the impact of Hurricane Alex on oil spill recovery efforts, July 2, 2010. Zukunft flew over the Louisiana coastline in an Air Station Cape Cod MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter. The helicopter is one of more than 100 aircraft deployed to the region to provide critical surveillance and guidance for the largest oil spill response operation in U.S history. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Jonathan Lally.

<TABLE align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>Multimedia

July 03, 2010
PHOTO RELEASE: Responders move sea turtle eggs​

</TD></TR><TR><TD>BON SECOUR NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE , Ala. - Responders remove sea turtle eggs from a nest on the Fort Morgan Peninsula on June 27, 2010. The nest was the tenth found in the area this year and contained 114 eggs. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service photo by Bonnie Strawser.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


<TABLE align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>Multimedia

July 03, 2010
PHOTO RELEASE: Pascagoula Beach Clean Up​

</TD></TR><TR><TD>PASCAGOULA, Miss. - Clean up crews spread out across Pascagoula beach to collect tar balls washed ashore on July 1, 2010. In the background the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) research vessel, Gordon Gunter, transits into the Gulf of Mexico for a two-week marine mammal survey. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Colin White.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

July 02, 2010

Rescued Pelicans Fly with the Coast Guard

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

<TABLE class=image_right style="PADDING-RIGHT: 20px; PADDING-LEFT: 20px; FLOAT: right; PADDING-BOTTOM: 20px; PADDING-TOP: 20px"><TBODY><TR><TD>

</TD></TR><TR><TD>Photo by U.S. Coast Guard video by Petty Officer Second Class Gina Ruoti</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>​

.../

http://ht.ly/26VOG

 

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Re: Media, boaters could face criminal penalties by violating Coast Guard 'safety zone' around oil cleanup operations

Source:
http://www.examiner.com/ExaminerSlideshow.html?entryid=1419191&slide=17

Some photos release by Associated Press:

A brown pelican sits in the oil spill off the coast of Louisiana. AP Photo

A dead sea turtle found on the beach in Mississippi. AP Photo

A cleanup crew works in Pensacola, Florida. AP Photo

A Greenpeace worker takes samples from the oil spill. AP Photo

Oil moves on shore in Louisiana despite the use of booms. AP Photo

A smoke plume rises from one controlled burn operation. AP Photo

An aerial photo of one controlled burn operation. AP Photo

The oil spill near the Chandeleur islands off the coast of Louisiana. AP Photo

The oil spill in Biloxi Bay in Louisiana. AP Photo

An oiled bird struggles to get over one boom. AP Photo

A boom tries to hold back oil from the marshland. AP Photo

An aerial photo of the cleanup efforts along the Louisiana Gulf Coast. AP Photo

A brown pelican sits in the oil spill off the coast of Louisiana. AP Photo