Local and federal officials are investigating an oil discharge into a drainage canal near Port Sulphur.
According to the United States Coast Guard, it happened around 2:45 p.m. Friday.
Coast Guard officials say an estimated 1,260 gallons of crude oil entered the canal, affecting a nearly two mile stretch of the Plaquemines Parish canal. The Coast Guard hired a contractor who then placed 300 feet of boom to contain the oil.
According to Coast Guard officials, more than 860 gallons of the oil has been recovered. Recovery efforts remain under way Friday night.
Officials are firing air cannons to keep wildlife out of the affected area. The exact impact on wildlife and vegetation is not known.
“We are working with government and industry partners to ensure an efficient and effective containment and recovery response and are committed to overseeing a timely cleanup of oil to mitigate environmental impacts,” Captain Kelly Denning, Coast Guard Sector New Orleans Commanding Officer and Federal On-Scene Coordinator, said in a press release. “The local public, the environment and protected marine species are our top priority.”
The Environmental Protection Agency, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, and several other agencies are on the scene assessing the situation and assisting with the cleanup.
