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M/V Alvenus

VESSEL STATUS:    8.23.84 M/V ALVENUS STILL BERTHED AT TODD SHIPYARD, PELICAN ISLAND,
GALVESTON, TX UNTIL ENTERING DRYDOCK FACILITIES ON SEPTEMBER 5.  BEACH IMPACT AND CLEANUP
STATUS:   8.21.84 PROPOSAL PRESENTED BY CONTRACTORS TO TEST THE USE OF THE DISPERSANT
COREXIT 9527 TO AID IN THE CLEANUP OF THE GALVESTON SEAWALL. 8.23.84 PROPOSAL FOR
DISPERSANT TEST APPROVED BY OSC, EPA AND TDWR.  IN ITS APPROVAL OF TEST, EPA HAS PLACED
SEVERAL STIPULATIONS INCLUDING CERTAIN REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.  TEST IS SCHEDULED FOR 1000
MONDAY MORNING (8.27.84). 8.23.84 CLEANUP OF SEAWALL CONTINUES WITH HYDRO/SAND BLASTING OF
GROINS BY DAY AND THE SEAWALL BY NIGHT.   8.21.84 UNAUTHORIZED DISPOSAL/STOCKPILING SITE
REPORTED BY PRIVATE CITIZEN TO BE IN MARSH/WETLAND AREA BACKING EAST BEACH.  SITE
INVESTIGATED BY OSC STAFF AND CONTRACTOR/OWNER REP.  UNAUTHORIZED SITE CLEANUP COMPLETED
8.22.84.   8.21.84 TDWR, IN AGREEMENT WITH NOAA SCIENTIFIC SUPPORT TEAM RECOMMENDED NO
FURTHER REMOVAL OF SAND FROM THE BEACH, OTHER THAN IDENTIFIED ISOLATED PATCHES WITH A HIGH
PERCENTAGE OF OIL.  THE REMAINING LIGHTLY OILED SAND ON THE BEACHES IS TO BE SPREAD AND
TILLED INTO THE UPPER BEACH NEAR THE DUNE LINE---THE HEIGHT OF TILLED SAND NOT TO EXCEED 3
FT.  8.22.84 CITY, COUNTY AND STATE OFFICIALS OBSERVED RESULTS OF SPREADING/TILLING
OPERATIONS AND GAVE THEIR APPROVAL.  TDWR WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR SPREADING/TILLING
OPERATIONS. TOTAL SAND REMOVED FROM GALVESTON ISLAND BEACHES AS OF 8.22.84 IS 99,100 CUBIC
YARDS, REPRESENTING SOME 7900 TONS OF OIL REMOVED FROM THE BEACH. OSC NOW BEING QUESTIONED
BY CITY AND COUNTY ON WHAT PLANS ARE BEING MADE TO REPLENISH SAND ON THE BEACHES.  NOAA
ACTIVITIES:  1. CONDUCTED BEACH PROFILE SURVEY 8.23.84 2. PREPARED SUMMARY OF ALL SAMPLING
DATA COLLECTED TO DATE AND DISTRIBUTED  COPIES TO OWNER/CONTRACTOR REP, EPA, TDWR AND OSC.
NOAA WILL CONTINUE TO  COORDINATE SAMPLE ANALYSIS DATA. 3. DAILY WEATTHER RREPORTS
SUPPLIED TO CONTRACTORS BY HOUSTON NWS OFFICE. 4. SSC PARTICIPATED IN RADIO TALK SHOW
'GALVESTON TALKING' TO DISCUSS OIL  SPILL CLEANUP OPERATIONS IN GALVESTON.  OTHER
PARTICIPANTS: TDWR, NMFS,  AND COUNTY PARKS SUPERINTENDENT. 5. SSC PARTICIPATED IN
OVERFLIGHT WITH OWNERS TECHNICAL REPRESENTATIVES TO  VIEW PROGRESS OF CLEANUP OPERATIONS
ON WEST BEACHES AND TO CHECK ON REPORT  THAT FRESH OIL WAS WASHING ASHORE NEAR SAN LUIS
PASS.  SAMPLE OF FRESH OIL  COLLECTED FOR ANALYSIS TO DETERMINE IF FROM ALVENUS.  PLANNED
ACTIVITIES:  1. CONTINUE BEACH PROFILES. 2. E. GUNDLACH AND M. WILLIAMS TO GO TO AUSTEN TO
TALK WITH BUREAU OF  ECONOMICAL GEOLOGY ABOUT BEACH PROFILE DATA FOR GALVESTON ISLAND
PRIOR  TO OIL SPILL. 3. SSC TO COORDINATE DEVELOPMENT OF MONITORING PLAN FOR DISPERSANT
TEST TO  BE CONDUCTED ON SEAWALL.  MONITORING WILL BE DONE BY NOAA, EPA, TDWR,NMFS,  TEXAS
PARKS AND WILDLIFE, U.S.F.W.L. AND COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER.  NOAA PERSONNEL ON
SCENE:  SHARON CHRISTOPHERSON TODD BAXTER ERICH GUNDLACH, RPI MARK WILLIAMS, RPI  MIKE
VOGEL DEPARTED 8.23.84