BP Complaints

 
VENICE, La. – At the direction of the President, tomorrow, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco and CEQ Chair Nancy Sutley will tour the Delta National Wildlife Refuge in Venice, Louisiana and the areas affected by the BP oil spill to assess the on-going federal response efforts and to discuss the Administration’s commitment to long-term Gulf Coast restoration and recovery.
 
Portions of the Delta’s 49,000 acres have been closed to the public since April due to the spill but are scheduled to reopen on August 22.   The Delta is home to many fish, waterfowl and animals, including endangered and threatened species such as the American alligator, brown pelican, and Arctic peregrine falcon.
 
In the morning, Secretary Salazar, Administrator Jackson, Administrator Lubchenco, and Chair Sutley will participate in the Natural Resource Damage Assessment Trustee Steering Committee in New Orleans.
 
 
WHO:              Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar
                        Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson
                        NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco
                        CEQ Chair Nancy Sutley
                        Assistant Secretary of Fish and Wildlife Tom Strickland
 
WHAT:              Delta National Wildlife Refuge tour and media availability

WHEN:              Thursday, August 19, 2010
                         11:45 a.m. CDT – Boat Tour
                         2:30 p.m. CDT  – Press Briefing
 
WHERE:            Delta National Wildlife Refuge, 215 Offshore Shipyard Road, Venice, La., 70091
 
MEDIA:            The boat tour of the Wildlife Refuge will be pooled press.
The press briefing is open to all credentialed news media.  Media unable to attend may join a listen-only teleconference by dialing 1-800-779-9539,  access code DELTA. 

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NOAA administrator Dr. Jane Lubchenco and Adm. Thad Allen joined state, federal, and partner biologists today as they released 23 Kemp’s ridley sea turtles back into the Gulf of Mexico near Cedar Key, Fla., after the turtles were successfully rescued and rehabilitated from the effects of the Deepwater Horizon/BP oil spill.

Scientists selected the area on Florida’s Gulf coast for release because it is an important foraging area for the species, the water was never oiled, and the habitat provides everything these turtles need for survival.

“I’m pleased that Admiral Allen and I were able to assist with the release of these turtles. And we thank all of our partners in this rescue and rehabilitation effort,” said Dr. Lubchenco. “This is a wonderful day for all involved–but especially for the turtles.”

“This area near Cedar Key provides excellent habitat for Kemp’s ridley sea turtles and has long been known as an important habitat area for this species,” said Barbara Schroeder, NOAA’s national sea turtle coordinator. “Thanks to the efforts of our rescue teams and rehabilitation facility partners all of the turtles we released today have an excellent chance of surviving in the wild and contributing to the recovery of this species.”

The turtles released today were rescued by teams from NOAA and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission working with partners from the Riverhead Foundation and the In-Water Research Group. The turtles received excellent treatment and care, including cleaning and de-oiling, at the Audubon Aquarium in New Orleans, and at Gulf World in Panama City, Fla. The turtles were then cared for by SeaWorld Orlando, Mote Marine Laboratory, and the Florida Aquarium. To date, approximately 500 live turtles have been rescued during the Gulf oil spill, and more than 450 stranded or captured turtles have had visible evidence of external oil. Approximately 350 turtles are still in rehabilitation facilities and will be released as they are given clean bills of health.

“It’s wonderful news that sea turtles hurt by the Deepwater Horizon spill are now rehabilitated and ready to go home to the Gulf of Mexico,” said Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida. “This is a testament to the hard work of fish and wildlife agencies and our wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centers.”

”This is a great day for our biologists since many of these turtles were originally rescued by our staff,” said Gil McRae, director of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute. “Everyone involved has worked hard to ensure that these endangered turtles are returned to the wild so they can contribute to the overall population.”

NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth’s environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. Visit us at http://www.noaa.gov or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/usnoaagov.

For more information on FWC sea turtle conservation, visit http://www.MyFWC.com/SeaTurtle.

On the Web:

Detailed fact sheet on Kemp’s ridley sea turtles and today’s release: http://www.noaa.gov/factsheets/new%20version/releasing_kemp’s_ridley_turtles.pdf

B-roll video will be available after 4:00 p.m. EDT: http://www.restorethegulf.gov/multimedia.shtm