Galveston Bay Oil Spill Shuts Down Port of Houston, Wreaking Havoc on Local Businesses and Wildlife
Last Saturday, approximately 700 yards from the Texas City Dike, a barge and a ship collided causing 168,000 gallons of “bunker oil” to spill into Galveston Bay. Unlike regular crude oil, “bunker oil” is sticky, like molasses, and is heavier, which can cause the oil to sink, remaining in the bay anywhere from several months to several years. Kirby Inland Marine Corp., the Houston based company who owns the barge, is taking responsibility for the clean up costs. Hundreds of people have joined in the effort to contain the oil by strategically placing oil containment booms in and around the affected areas.
Many businesses and individuals alike are facing the disastrous effects from this unfortunate event. Daily lives have been forced to change from those who work and reside from the Houston Ship Channel to the Galveston Bay. Our local economy is definitely taking the brunt of this incident. During peak tourist season, the spill has caused recreational and commercial fishing activities to come to a screeching halt. Moreover, due to the Port of Houston’s closure, more than 80 vessels are stranded on either side of the ship channel, docking those ships that serve an important purpose in American oil production. In addition, the bay also serves as a popular destination for shorebirds during migration season. Unfortunately, the oil has already left many shorebirds dead with many more needing immediate treatment and rehabilitation.
One of our staff members and her family were on the Texas City Dike that Saturday afternoon. This was the place her aging father taught her to hook bait, cast a reel, and the patience of fishing as a young girl. Thinking it would be nice to begin the new season rekindling those childhood memories, they headed to the Dike with grandchildren in tow. This time, however, their routine stop to Boyd’s One Stop for bait and a soda would be interrupted by crowds of onlookers and officers making sense of the ships’ collision. She hopes the impact of the oil spill is minimal so that local businesses can get back on their feet and she and her family can try once again for that trip down memory lane. Arguello Law Firm is a local law firm with local staff members who know first hand what this tragic oil spill means for our surrounding cities and we want to help those who have been impacted.
If you own a business or are part of the hundreds of shoreline workers whose financial situation has been impacted by this catastrophe, please call or use the form above for a free consult today. We have a team of experienced attorneys and staff who are familiar with the hardships an oil spill of this nature can cause. Let us be your voice in getting you what you deserve.
Arguello Law Firm is proud to announce that we will be jointly handling these cases with the firm of Simon O’Rourke. Nick Simon and Sean O’Rourke have already filed the first class action suit in this litigation. Furthermore, they have been featured in the following news pieces:
http://www.click2houston.com/news/businesses-file-class-action-lawsuit-after-oil-spill/25162272
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