News
Conference about
post-Hurricane
Rita Hazardous
Debris Clean-up
Operations on
Sabine National
Wildlife Refuge
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September
14, 2006
Contacts:
Tom MacKenzie,
404/679-7291
Who:
Department
of the Interior,
U. S.
Fish and Wildlife Service
Southwest Louisiana National
Wildlife Refuge Complex
Sabine National Wildlife
Refuge
3000
Holly Beach Highway
Hackberry,
Louisiana 70665
What:
News
Conference and field
tours of post-Hurricane
Rita hazardous debris
clean up operations on
Sabine National Wildlife
Refuge.
When:
Wednesday,
September 20, 2006 from
10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Where:
Sabine
National Wildlife
Refuge Headquarters site
on Highway 27. From I-10
in Sulphur, Louisiana,
drive south on Highway
27 for approximately 22
miles. Turn left through
fence gate labeled “3000
Holly Beach Highway”.
Proceed straight into the
rear parking area and park
to the right. The News
Conference will begin in
the office conference room.
Field excursions to view
hazardous material recovery
operations will follow.
Why:
To
inform media experts
about hazardous material
recovery operations taking
place at Sabine National
Wildlife Refuge one year
after Hurricane Rita.
Hurricane
Rita deposited
an estimated 7 million
cubic meters of debris
containing at least 1,400
identified potential hazardous
material items. The President
and Congress recently
provided
132.4 million dollars
to aid the U.S Fish and
Wildlife Service with
hurricane
recovery efforts. Airboat
tour of field operations
and lunch provided.
Recovery
operations experts will
summarize operations,
biological impacts, numbers
and types of personnel
and equipment being used,
safety implementation,
and clean-up timelines
from 10-10:40 am. Tour
participants will be transported
by refuge vehicles to
the contaminants sorting
site for a brief overview
and photo opportunity
and then to the airboats
for the field tour. Lunch
and final interview opportunities
will begin at 12:30 at
the office conference
room.
RSVP:
If
participating
in airboat field tour,
please call Diane Borden-Billiot
at 337-558-5574 or 337-912-0622
by Noon, Monday, September
18, 2006, to sign up.
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