MEDIA ADVISORY-Procedures Established For Media to Access Safety Zones On A Case-By-Case Basis

HOUMA, La. - The Coast Guard Captain of the Port of New Orleans has delegated authority to the Coast Guard Incident Commander in Houma to allow access to the safety zones placed around all Deepwater Horizon booming operations in Southeast Louisiana.

The Coast Guard Incident Commander will ensure the safety of the members and equipment of the response before access is granted.

"The safety zones are intended to safeguard critical resources that are a vital part of the largest oil spill response in our history," said Chief Petty Officer Paul Roszkowski, Assistant Public Information Officer at Incident Command Post Houma, La. "We must take the steps necessary to preserve the assets needed as we fight to save the way of life of the people of Louisiana."

The safety zone has been put in place to prevent vandalism to boom and to protect the members and equipment of the response effort by limiting access to, and through, deployed protective boom.

Media wishing to gain access to the safety zones should call the Houma Joint Information Center at 985-493-7835.