JULY 20, 2010, TALLAHASSEE – Under the leadership of Governor Charlie Crist, the State Emergency Response Team and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) are actively coordinating and responding to the Deepwater Horizon incident.

Message of the day:

There are currently no plans to use dispersants in Florida. If dispersants are ever considered in state waters, the determination to use the chemical would be evaluated by DEP with input from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Florida Wildlife Research Institute and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Dispersants are a chemical used to break up oil into small droplets so that they are more easily degraded. This chemical is most effective against fresh oil, unlike the weathered oil impacts Florida has seen in its waters.

The EPA and the U.S. Coast Guard have authorized BP to use dispersants underwater, in federal waters, at the source of the Deepwater Horizon leak. The use of dispersants has declined significantly since the well was capped on July 15. Subsea dispersant application has been in use since May 15, 2010. While BP pursues the use of subsurface dispersants, the federal government reviews its effectiveness and impact on the environment daily. EPA specifically monitors the water and air for dispersant and its potential impacts through a rigorous monitoring program. The federal government reserves the right to discontinue the use of this dispersant method if negative impacts on the environment outweigh the benefits, and the Coast Guard’s Federal On-Scene Coordinator has the authority to make daily decisions regarding any request by BP to adjust the use of dispersant.

Current Situation
·        The State Emergency Operations Center is activated at Level 1 or full activation.
·        The State Emergency Response Team continues to focus on mitigating impacts to Florida’s shoreline.
·        State reconnaissance teams operating by air, land and sea continue to identify potential impacts and are actively coordinating with cleanup teams. View the latest reconnaissance reports.
·        Four Florida branch offices are fully operational in Northwest Florida. These branch offices bring together federal, state and local agencies to streamline response efforts.
·        Currently Deepwater Horizon is not discharging any oil into the Gulf of Mexico. BP continues the well integrity test, which is being closely monitored. Learn more.
·         Isolated impacts are expected to continue in Northwest Florida over the next 72 hours. Nearly 90 percent of Florida’s more than 1,260 miles of coastline remains unimpacted.
·         A tropical wave in the Southwest Atlantic near Puerto Rico has a 40 percent chance of becoming a tropical depression within the next 48 hours.
·        Oil Impact Notices are posted for all Escambia County and Walton County Gulf beaches, as well as designated beaches in Okaloosa County. Signs may remain in place until local authorities determine that beaches are no longer impacted by the oil spill. Learn more.
·        The current federal fisheries closure in the Gulf of Mexico measures 83,927 square miles. This leaves approximately 65 percent of Gulf federal waters available for fishing. This federal closure does not apply to any state waters. Learn more.
·        A portion of coastal state waters offshore of Escambia County is closed to the harvest of saltwater fish, crabs and shrimp. Learn more.

Learn More About Florida’s Response:
·        Visit www.deepwaterhorizonflorida.com to learn more about Florida’s response to the Deepwater Horizon incident, sign up for daily updates, view tips for businesses and consumers, find a listing of Unified Command, BP and Florida phone numbers, and more.
·        The Oil Spill Information Line is available at 1-888-337-3569 from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. seven days a week. Persons with disabilities can contact 1-800-955-8771 (TDD) or 1-800-955-8770 (voice).