Louisiana terminal may have released more than 191,000 gallons of toxic chemicals during Isaac
More than 191,000 gallons of toxic chemicals may have been released from the Stolthaven New Orleans petroleum and chemical storage and transfer terminal in Braithwaite during Hurricane Isaac, according to a company report filed Tuesday with the U.S. Coast Guard National Response Center. That's just one day after the Louisiana Department of Environmental Qualty assured the public that monitoring at the facility detected no offsite contamination.
Today, a DEQ spokesman said Stolthaven's report "lists the worst-case scenario for potential releases which includes tank contents that could not be accurately measured."
"The actual amount released, the type of chemical and if it was released (air, water, etc.) has yet to be determined for the materials in this NRC update," said DEQ spokesman Rodney Mallett. "This investigation is still ongoing by DEQ and numerous state, federal and local officials."
A flyover of the area by a Times-Picayune photographer this morning showed a significant quantity of liquid material adjacent to one of the tanks, with nearby workers dressed in clothing designed to protect them from hazardous chemicals.
more
http://www.nola.com/hurricane/index.ssf/2012/09/stolthaven_braithwaite_termina.html
= new reply since forum marked as read
