Current information regarding the

Deepwater Horizon oil spill



A letter from Blanton Blankenship, Site Manager, and Michael Bailey, Cultural Resource Coordinator, at Fort Morgan

"Fort Morgan is now being used as a staging area in the massive effort to contain the oil spill that threatens the Alabama coastline.  Bon Secour Wildlife Refuge and the US Fish and Wildlife Service have prepared the emergency contingency plan for the area of Mobile Point outside the Fort's seawall.  This area is sensitive habitat for beach mice and sea turtles as well as a variety of sea-birds.   Large numbers of containment booms and associated equipment along with large amounts of hay are being stock-piled near the Site's boat launch for use if their deployment becomes necessary.
The State of Alabama "oil containment plan" will include running specially designed ocean containment barriers from Fort Morgan to Dauphin Island when necessary.  The significance of this effort was emphasized last week when both the Secretary of Interior and the head of the EPA visited Fort Morgan to inspect the ongoing preparations."








A Decontamination Unit to clean oily boats is being constructed at Fort Morgan by BP PLC and will be operational the week of July 5. And access to the beach is currently restricted because of oil contamination.