Coast Guard Responds to Oil Spill in Lake Charles

The Coast Guard is responding to an oil spill in the Calcasieu Parish Ship Channel, near the CITGO Clifton Ridge Terminal, in Lake Charles, La. CITGO notified watchstanders at Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Lake Charles Tuesday night of an undetermined amount of oil spilling into the channel. At 3 a.m. today the Coast Guard Captain of the Port, Capt. Sharon Richey, closed the Calcasieu Parish Ship Channel to all maritime traffic between lights 112 and 100. CITGO had been cleaning up a waste-water spill in the Indian Marais drainage, and have now expanded their efforts to include the new spill. The Coast Guard and CITGO are conducting aerial surveys to get a more accurate assessment of the situation. The cause of the incident is under investigation.