Gov. Perry Directs State Resources to Respond to Houston Ship Channel Oil Spill

Statement

Gov. Rick Perry has directed all necessary state resources to assist with the cleanup of oil that has spilled into the Houston Ship Channel after a collision between vessels yesterday. The Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) is ensuring the coordination of the multiple state resources responding to this incident, and the governor has been briefed by TDEM Chief Nim Kidd on the ongoing cleanup efforts.

"The State of Texas is deploying all necessary resources to respond to this situation, and will continue to do so to ensure the spill is contained and cleaned up with as little impact as possible to the environment and commerce," Gov. Perry said. "We are thankful to the responders and personnel who are working diligently to respond to this situation."

The U.S. Coast Guard is the lead agency for maritime incidents such as this, while the Texas General Land Office is the lead state agency for cleanup efforts. The responsible parties are also assisting in the response to this incident. Additional state agencies and emergency response units are working to ensure public health and safety, and to protect the surrounding environment and wildlife.

The Texas General Land Office has deployed multiple personnel to the incident site to manage the cleanup effort, and resources from the Texas Department of Transportation, Texas Department of Public Safety and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department are also assisting in this effort.

The barge has been moved to a ship yard and is no longer at the scene of the spill. The Houston Ship Channel has been closed to traffic, and the Bolivar Ferry has been suspended until the spill is contained.

Source