A 65-mile stretch of the Mississippi River, from Baton Rouge to the Port of New Orleans, has reopened with some restrictions after closing Sunday from an oil spill.
Approximately 31,500 gallons of light crude oil spilled into the river after a collision between a barge and a towboat near Vacherie, Louisiana on Saturday afternoon. A sheen of oil was reported on the river after the collision, although there are so far no reports of wildlife being covered with oil.
St. Charles Parish, which stretches through the affected area, shut off its drinking water intakes as a precaution, but in a news release Sunday night, officials said, “the water supply in St. Charles Parish remains safe.”
As of Monday morning, there are currently 29 boats waiting to move on the river, according to Coast Guard Petty Officer Bill Colclough. The Port of New Orleans reopened Monday, although two cruise ships left the port on scheduled trips Sunday. The barge hit the tug boat, which was pushing boats loaded with grain and began spilling light crude into the river. No injuries were reported, and the oil was pumped into another barge. The cause of the collision is still under investigation.
Meredith Clark
Meredith Clark is a freelance writer and editor. She was previously a senior news producer for "Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj," a reporter with MSNBC.com, the digital politics and culture editor at Glamour and a senior news and politics editor at Refinery29. She has written for Vulture, Rolling Stone, Self, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, The Daily Beast and Bustle. Recommended
