The Manolos L Citizens’ Response Committee is a group of concerned citizens who have organized to lobby to have a permanent solution implemented in response to the oil leaking from the sunken ship Manolis L. The following is an update on the ongoing efforts,to follow their efforts, follow them on facebook or read more on their website: http://manolisl.blogspot.ca/

Manolis L Update:

Operations are in full swing in Twillingate and Herring Neck on the technical assessment of the Manolis L. The company Resolve Marine out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida are doing the operations which involves non-invasive and invasive phases that will give a full picture of the situation. Using the latest technology and primarily local subcontractors as well as leasing the Maersk Cutter they are charting the area around, underneath the ship, marking out where the fuel is stored as well as using mix-gas divers to drill holes in those areas to determine the location, type and quantity of oil in those tanks. Weather has hampered the operations on occasion however there have been long windows of opportunity to do the operation that sees over 110 persons involved in the complicated processes.

The Manolis L Citizens Response Committee has been at the table with the Coast Guard and has been kept apprised of the situation. A meeting was held on Change Islands in late August to give an update.

The Coastguard has been supporting the efforts and transport Canada planes have been doing aerial surveillance. During the trip in which some members of the media were flown over the site the plane detected several “droplets” of oil on the water. They have not determined if this is due to the operation (drilling holes) or if the oil is leaking from another place. During the early part of the operation oil was detected leaking from around a seal that had been put in place on an original crack. Either way, oil on the water in any amount, for any reason is concerning but not surprising. A rusting sunken vessel with between 400,000 and 500,000 liters of oil inside is bound to leak and likely leaks frequently when she isn’t under such close scrutiny.
The Manolis L Citizens Response Committee is very pleased with the operations and the communication and respect offered to its members which translates into openness and respect for the people of the province who they speak for.

But they are acutely cognizant of the fact that this operation isn’t the one everyone has been waiting for. The decision to safely remove the oil from Manolis L is the important operation and that needs to be carried out very soon. They continue to advocate for a permanent solution on behalf of the people of Notre Dame Bay and the province of Newfoundland and Labrador