Unified Command responds to oil spill in Gulf

NEW ORLEANS, La. (KPLC) - A Unified Command team comprised of the Coast Guard, Main Pass Oil Gathering Company, LLC and the Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator’s Office was established to respond to an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico southeast of New Orleans Thursday.

The oil spill was near the Main Pass Oil Gathering (MPOG) company’s pipeline system close to Plaquemines Parish. MPOG confirmed the presence of crude oil during an overflight, and the company is implementing its federal and state-approved emergency oil spill response plan.

The Unified Command is coordinating with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, Forefront Emergency Management and other federal, state and local agencies to ensure the safety of the public and respond to the incident.

As of Friday morning, there have been no reports of injuries or shoreline impacts.

Overflight assessments are scheduled for this morning.

The Coast Guard encourages mariners to report any observations of oil to Coast Guard Sector New Orleans Command Center at 504-365-2200.

The cause of the incident is under investigation, the Coast Guard wrote in release.