News Release	Date: Sept. 23, 2008 Contact: Joint Information Center (252) 267-3662

Unified Command Continues to Respond to Post-Hurricane Pollution

PASADENA, Texas - The Unified Command here continues Tuesday to confirm, assess, prioritize and clean up reports of pollution caused by Hurricane Ike.

By Tuesday morning, response personnel were assessing 228 pollution reports and/or actual incidents: 181 sites in the Houston-Galveston area and 47 sites in the Port Arthur, Texas, to Lake Charles, La., area. The type and amount of pollution, which includes oil and diesel from boats, and industrial chemicals, varies by site.

Members of the Environmental Protection Agency, Coast Guard, Texas General Land Office and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality comprise the Unified Command. Field workers from these agencies are working with local agencies to assess, contain and clean up spills and hazardous materials.

Assessment teams investigate reports of possible cases of pollution and prioritize the cleanup efforts. Once a reported case is confirmed, the teams work to identify the source and try to identify and notify a responsible party (RP).

If a RP is identified, that party may hire a contractor to secure the source of the spill and clean up the pollution. If no RP is identified, the government team hires a spill contractor to clean up the pollution. Recovery teams then oversee the contract cleanup efforts.

It is possible that as private boat owners begin to pull their sunken or partially submerged private vessels from the water, there will be more spills. Members of the public should call the National Response Center at (800) 424-8802 to report any pollution or displaced hazardous materials.

The public should report oiled or injured wildlife by calling Texas Parks & Wildlife at (281) 842-8100.

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