ST. SIMONS SOUND, Ga. — You can expect to hear loud construction noises on the St. Simons Sound once crews start to remove the Golden Ray.
But before that happens, an environmental protection barrier will be installed.
“Hoping to get the first piling in by mid-month and complete the environmental protection barrier by early next month,” said Jim Elliott of T&T Salvage.
The unified command held a news conference Friday.
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“Very complex case since day one and it’ll continue to be that way until we get everything out,” said Coast Guard Commander Norm Witt.
While getting everything out is also the Altamaha Coast Keeper’s goal, Susan Inman said she is worried about how the unified command is going about it.
She said the public hasn’t had chance to ask questions.
“It’s great that the media finally got a room. But yet, we still don’t get that,” said Inman.
The environmental protection barrier will include things like double netting, a large floating boom and a barrier designed to account for strong currents.
“The original booms that were put in place for the original release were actually not effective, so why are booms again the option for your main primary protection barrier?” said Inman.
Oil has already leaked from the Golden Ray, although it’s unclear exactly how much.
While 320,000 gallons have already been removed from the ship, the Coast Guard admits it doesn’t know how much fuel is still left on board.
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Coastal Resources Division Director, Doug Haymans said DNR doesn’t plan to increase its sampling of water and sediment in the area.
“There shouldn’t be any additional impacts from the removal of the vessel that would require us to be there to increase the sampling,” said Haymans.
But Inman finds that troubling.
“That’s not going to catch oil, that’s not going to catch any other contaminants. and what are they testing for?” said Inman.
According to Elliott, there will be natural resources experts on site monitoring the operation.
“If there’s something we can improve, we will improve as we go forward, and that’s called an adaptive management plan,” said Elliott.
Crews will also keep an eye on things underwater to ensure no wildlife is caught in the netting and to monitor for any tears in the barrier.
“Side scan sonar, multibeam sonar, different types of equipment to look under the water because visibility is low, so we can direct divers and remotely operated vehicles,” said Elliott.
The unified command said it’s expediting the work to get the ship out before the height of hurricane season, which begins on June 30 and peaks from mid August to early October.
Some locals like Stephen Stewart aren’t convinced they’ll meet that deadline.
“It’s too big of a job,” he said. “They said they were going to take it out in like eight or nine pieces. I just don’t see it happening.”
But officials said they’ll have more than 100 people working around the clock to make it happen.
The unified command said it’s possible there could be short term delays for commercial vessel traffic going in and out of the Port of Brunswick but it’s not expecting any closures.
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