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U.S. EPA Response to the BP Whiting Oil Spill
Contact Information
For information about EPA’s response please contact public affairs officer Francisco Arcaute at 312-886-7613.
For information about the Coast Guard, contact Chief Petty Officer Alan Haraf at 216-389-0420.
April 4, 2014, 6:40 p.m. Update
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Coast Guard were on site today to examine the shoreline near an oil spill into Lake Michigan that BP reported on March 24. They found no evidence of oil on the beach or in the water. The cleanup is complete. EPA and the Coast Guard plan to perform a follow up inspection of the lake and shoreline this summer.
April 3, 2014, 4:30 p.m. Update
U.S. EPA was not on site today at the BP Whiting incident due to inclement weather. The next expected update will be Friday, April 4, when EPA will be on site to review conditions with a Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Team.
April 1, 2014 , 5:15 p.m. Update
U.S. EPA was not on site today at the BP Whiting incident. The next expected update will be Thursday, April 3, when EPA will be on site to review conditions with a Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Team.
March 31, 2014, 5:30 p.m. Update
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Coast Guard were on site today to oversee day eight of cleanup operations following an oil spill into Lake Michigan that BP reported on March 24.
All containment boom along the beach has been removed except for boom encircling the BP outfall. Yesterday, 35 survey points on the bottom of the cove were evaluated for submerged oil. Currently, there is no indication of any submerged oil in the surveyed area of Lake Michigan.
March 30, 2014, 3:45 p.m. Update
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Coast Guard were on site today to oversee day seven of cleanup operations following an oil spill into Lake Michigan that BP reported on March 24. Today, Sunday, a Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Team examined the shoreline and conducted a submerged oil assessment to determine if any oil from the release sank to the bottom.
April 4 - a Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Team assessed the boulder riprap and found no evidence of oil on the beach or in the water.
April 4 - a Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Team assessed the boulder riprap and found no evidence of oil on the beach or in the water.
April 4 - a Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Team assessed the boulder riprap and found no evidence of oil on the beach or in the water. .
April 4 - a Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Team assessed the boulder riprap and found no evidence of oil on the beach or in the water.
April 4 - a Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Team assessed the boulder riprap and found no evidence of oil on the beach or in the water.
April 4 - a Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Team assessed the boulder riprap and found no evidence of oil on the beach or in the water.
Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Team members.
Conducting a submerged oil assessment.
Response crews examine the coastline.
Response crews examine the coastline.
Response crews examine the coastline.
Conducting a submerged oil assessment.
March 29, 2014, 2:30 p.m. Update
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Coast Guard were on site today to oversee day six of cleanup operations following an oil spill into Lake Michigan that BP reported on March 24. Due to continuing inclement weather, Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Team crew boats were not deployed today. Weather permitting, boats will be deployed Sunday to assess the cleanup to date.
March 28, 2014, 8:00 p.m Update
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Coast Guard were on site today to oversee a fourth day of cleanup operations following an oil spill into Lake Michigan that BP reported on March 24. Due to continuing inclement weather, Shoreline Cleanup Asessment Team crew boats were not deployed today. EPA and USCG will be on site over the weekend to oversee cleanup operations. Crew boats will be deployed on Sunday, weather permitting.
March 27, 2014, 3:30 p.m. Update
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Coast Guard were on site at the BP Whiting Refinery today to oversee a third day of cleanup operations following an oil spill into Lake Michigan that BP reported on March 24, 2014. Due to inclement weather, Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Team crew boats will not be deployed today. The crews will be deployed on Friday, weather permitting.
March 26, 2014, 5:30 p.m. Update
The U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency were on site at the BP Refinery in Whiting, Indiana today to oversee a second day of cleanup operations following an oil spill into Lake Michigan that BP reported on March 24, 2014.
A Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Team, consisting of representatives of EPA, USCG and BP, inspected the shoreline for a period of three hours to assess the presence of oil and to recommend cleanup techniques as required. The team saw minimal oiling of the shoreline and recommended a small manual removal crew conduct maintenance along the shoreline.
Weather and wind conditions improved overnight allowing teams to once again secure boom.
Using an air monitor at the spill site
EPA response crew
EPA responders
Clump of oil on the sand
A vacuum truck picks up oil
Using vacuum trucks to pick up oil
March 25, 2014, 7 p.m. Update
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is responding to the spill of an unknown volume of oil into Lake Michigan from the BP refinery in Whiting, Indiana. BP notified the federal government's National Response Center on March 24, 2014 at 5:25 p.m. that a spill had occurred.
EPA has issued a Notice of Federal Interest, which formally advises BP of the federal government's involvement in the spill and directs the company to conduct a cleanup. Under EPA oversight, BP has deployed more than 2,000 feet of boom to contain the oil. In addition, the company has used vacuum trucks to remove about 5,200 gallons of an oil/water mixture from the spill location. BP crews also are combing a nearby company-owned beach for oil globs and conducting air monitoring to ensure the safety of the public. The U.S. Coast Guard has flown over the area and has not observed any visible sheen beyond the boomed area.
EPA will continue to work with the U.S. Coast Guard, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and BP to take measures to contain and clean up the oil. At this point there is no estimate of cleanup cost or duration.
BP Whiting refinery outfall into Lake Michigan
Sheen on water beside oil containment boom
Hard boom deployed on Lake Michigan