Today, June 19th at noon, we filmed at Dune Allen Beach on Scenic 30a in Santa Rosa Beach...just east of Destin/Miramar Beach. It is a bright, sunny day with a heat index in the upper 90's. Small clusters of pebble-sized tarballs were spotted in isolated areas. Lots of people are still on the beach and in the water.
In an effort to respond quickly, Walton County quickly coordinated clean up efforts and began taking preventative action. Silt fence and geo-tubes are being employed in a small section of beach in this area to mitigate future impacts. Crews are working throughout the night to protect the shoreline and clean up efforts will continue into the morning. These measures are being applied as necessary and the beaches remain open for enjoyment.
Off shore, preventative measures are underway including the use of alternative methods of oil removal such as geo-fiber, which has a strong absorption quality to quickly remove oil off the surface of the water.
County officials are working closely with DEP and the Health Department to monitor water quality and will keep beachgoers informed of conditions.