Coast Security Search and Rescue Operations crew have informed the Hathian Observer that in the outskirts of the city in Rougarou’s Bayou region, it appears that some illegal dumping of chemicals in the Bayou’s water has been discovered.
The CSSARO crew were tipped off by a woman visiting her friend in the Bayou area that the water appeared to be strangely discolored with a pungent smell in the air. “It smelled worse than usual out there, there weren’t any mosquitos-and there’s usually plenty mosquitos. I seen some dead birds and some fish were floating on the surface, like, just dead.” Sally Brown, 21, told the Observer. The CSSARO crew made their way out to the region and have begun an investigation and clean up of the area.
“We do take reg’lar patrols aroun’ tha waters, but this time we was lucky to be tipped off pretty quickly by this young woman. I performed a vapor detector tes’ an’ did pick up some readings on it but it seemin like the air quality ain as impacted as tha wa’er is in tha region. We put out absorbent booms immediately—these yellow rope like things you seein here—and they absorbed the chemical leak, contained it too,” Captain Rousseau stated and added, “We took samples of tha water and tested it before we treated it—since it ain just gonna be through tha booms tha it get taken care of. We have cleaned tha water ta our bes’ effort.”
“It’s clear that this were an illegal dumping of toxic chemicals, the type that are known as Persistent Organic Pollutants, usually found in pesticides and also quantities of PCB’s, Polychlorinated biphenyls which can be found in manufacturing and industrial production.” Explained Lieutenant Alcide Rousseau. “We assessed the situation and made sure that there was no further spreading of the chemicals although it seemed concentrated in that area and in large quantity.” He also stated. “This is not where we get our drinking water from, but this is the source for some fishing and the natural habitats for crawfish and shrimp and alligators do exist in these waters so this does affect some people’s source for food, if ingested, it would be poisonous for people who do fish and eat from these waters so if anybody falls ill, please make your way to Hathian General Hospital and also contact Ms. Greer Stewart, Assistant District Attorney, who is handling legal procedures.”
Chief of Fire Department of Hathian/CSSARO Officer Emily Cooper and FDH Captain Dani Waters were also on scene to help collect samples, test the water with a colorimeter among carrying out other tests that took place back in the CSSARO HQ using lab equipment. It is well known that the oil spill off the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 has left the coastal waters of Louisiana with the remnants of chemicals even after a clean up was ordered.
When asked about the origins of the spill, the Captain was reticent to give a firm answer, saying instead that, “Pendin an investigation, I don’t want ta say righ’ now who an where we think this all came from. Tha area near docks an warehouses an as such tha could be potentially involved in this but again—it ain clear until we’ve done some investigatin an I’m not sayin tha they responsible either, there could be other differen’ people involved—but we do have some evidence, some leads.”
Until there has been further investigation into the matter, questions remain and linger but there is no doubt that the situation is being handled and attentively by the members of the CSSARO crew who believe a criminal persecution would be the next line of action once any one who may be involved has been caught or linked to the site and the spillage.
Hefty fines would be expected and with the amount spilled, the person or people involved may even face some prison time.
As far as the next steps, the crew are looking to patrol and explore other areas around the coast and any other sources of water in order to ascertain that they also have not been polluted.
“We’ll be taking definite steps to ensure that there ain no more of these spills in any other areas.” Lieutenant Alcide Rousseau promises. “Patrollin’ an surveillance will be constant and we will try an’ bring who ever did this to be held accountable with the help of the HPD we hope.”
