Post-Ida response efforts continue

U.S. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Tariq Hill, division group supervisor for salvage for the Hurricane Ida Morgan City, Louisiana Incident Command Post, plans salvage operations in Port Fourchon, Louisiana, Sept. 14, 2021 The U.S. Coast Guard is working with interagency partners to identify and clear displaced vessels and hazards to navigation impacting vessel traffic in federal waterways. [U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Vincent Moreno]

The Coast Guard is continuing to respond to impacts to waterways and assess environmental threats across Southeast Louisiana post-Hurricane Ida.

These efforts include working In partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Navy Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (SUPSALV) to re-open waterways impacted by Hurricane Ida in the areas of Bayou Lafourche, Houma Navigation Canal, and portions of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.

Also involved in the clean-up effort is the Louisiana National Guard.

The Coast Guard says that obstructions to the affected waterways are being identified and removed to restore the area to pre-storm conditions.

To date, 25 obstructions comprised primarily of fishing vessels, crew vessels, and offshore supply vessels have been identified in the Bayou Lafourche channel. Additionally, 30 submerged targets have been identified in the Houma Navigation Canal. Fifteen of those targets in the Houma Navigation Canal have been cleared or removed. The Coast Guard continues to coordinate operations with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to identify and remove waterway obstructions.

The Coast Guard also continues to receive and investigate all reports made to the National Response Center (NRC).

Coast Guard crews are working to identify and prioritize threats to the environment and navigable waterways through overflights and surface inspections of areas impacted by the storm.

Coast Guard Sector New Orleans oversees 1,082 total aids to navigation in their area of responsibility. Of the 1,082 aids, 384 have been identified as damaged or are offline to date as a result of Hurricane Ida. Aids to navigation teams have restored or have made temporary corrections to 277 of those aids, which is 72% of those identified.

The Coast Guard is working closely with the State of Louisiana, Environmental Protection Agency, and Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, to respond to reports of pollution.

To date, the Coast Guard has assessed 2,259 out of 2,464 reports of pollution. Of the reports, there are:

• 1,217 reports that have been closed or transferred to appropriate jurisdictions,
• 326 reports where the reports were unverified as there was no remaining evidence of pollution on-site,
• 602 reports where the Coast Guard is actively supervising the mitigation efforts that are being carried out by responsible parties,
• 23 reports are under investigation by the Coast Guard.