*Spread the Word: Join Sunday’s 2pm Ocean Beach Cleanup Effort/ EPA Handoff with “Kill The Spill”

(10am Sunday) From KILL THE SPILL coordinators — the grassroots surfer/kiter effort:***SPREAD THE WORD:  SHOW UP AT 2PM TODAY – SUNDAY 11/11 for OCEAN BEACH CLEAN-UP SUPPORT @ TARAVAL -  see details below. Note:  At 10am today, OB residents report NO SIGHTING of a clean-up crew around NORIEGA.  We are checking elsewhere down the beach.THANK YOU to all who rallied Thursday through Saturday to help pull-off our Ocean Beach cleanup effort.  We are elated to see that on late Saturday afternoon — 3 days after the spill — the EPA launched their OFFICIAL Ocean Beach cleanup with EPA/Coast Guard contracted cleaning crews.  By coming together as a community who cares about Ocean Beach, we made a big difference, and WE SUCCEEDED in getting federal help that was sorely needed. 

The agency-contracted cleanup crews are also now adopting our smart use of Oil Spill Hair Mats (fantastic products made of natural human hair, thankfully donated by MatterofTrust.org & the Dept. of the Environment of SF), which were more effective in mopping up oil than what the contracted crews showed up with — rakes & shovels.

WHAT’S IMPORTANT NOW is that we remain united  as a community on the following goals below, which include:

1) Ensuring that proper, thorough federal cleaning of Ocean Beach continues
2) Warning signs are posted of OB’s contamination
3) Water testing is done rigorously
4) Education & training of local citizens continues on how to respond properly to tar balls, oil puddles, injured/dead wildlife and more that may be washing up on Ocean Beach for the next 2-3 months or year(s). 
5)  Share our learnings with citizens at other key Bay Area beach areas that aren’t getting attention

Stay tuned for tips and an e-mail campaign to officials, which will be posted to various websites. 

*** PLEASE SHOW UP TODAY at 2pm at TARAVAL TO HAND OFF the CLEANING EFFORT TO THE EPA **
 
The more NUMBERS of concerned citizens we have, the more attention we can get to ensure the contracted clean crews have ENOUGH BODIES to clean our large beach.  Meet 2pm at Taraval & Great Highway.

o Be prepared to assist the cleaning effort today, Sunday 11/11 if needed, or respectfully stand down if asked by EPA & other officials, so as to enable the contractors to do a thorough cleaning

o Spread the word so that we have great turnout to show our SUPPORT for the EPA effort and that we really care deeply about Ocean Beach!

o Be prepared to monitor the success of the EPA’s cleanup effort, however long it takes, as the impact from the Oil Spill may be felt for weeks, months, and years.

o Help hand out flyers warning of OB’s health risks — It’s UNSAFE especially kids & pets.  We advise NOT ENTERING THE WATER.  (Ocean Beach is too big to be closed, officials told us)

o Please bring this gear just in case: 
Appropriate clothing including old clothes, old fully-covered shoes.
What’s useful: heavyduty rubber/lates gloves (dishwashing OK), kitty litter scoops, strong trash bags, cell phone with key phone numbers in speed dial for reporting new oil sightings (985-781-0804) & oiled animals (415.701.2311).  Be mindful of fumes and avoid any direct contact with oil, tar balls, and injured animals.>>> Keep Up On KILL THE SPILL’s efforts here:
http://www.zunasurf.com
http://zunasurf.wordpress.com

Sat 7pm Update – Bunker Oil, EPA gets involved, Sunday Schedule

From front line resources:

o  FYI, Bunker Oil (as identified in early media articles) is what was spilled….and according to our own research online (see below), it is known to be carcinogenic. 

We’ve been told that it may be “bunker oil C6″ from other govt agencies and the KTS crew was told that the EPA is going to be testing it (that may have been in the media/press conference at OB). 

Per our Google research, “Everyone…should be fully aware of the fact that heavy fuel oil [bunker oil] is carcinogenic and every contact with skin should be avoided. Oil resistant clothing and gloves should always be used in contact with the fuel.”

 See Bunker Oil articles below based on our own research (thank B.O’rourke). 
- http://www.liquidminerals.com/fuels.htm  | http://www.gronkemi.nu/skepp_eng.html
- http://www.valero.com/NR/rdonlyres/18D1EE0F-7CB7-4985-9F47-84976F2E65C5/0/BunkerFuel200.pdf
- from bp:
http://www.bp.com/liveassets/bp_internet/bp_marine/bp_marine_uk/STAGING/local_assets/downloads_pdfs/b/BP_Marine_Fuels_Residual_MSDS.pdf

………………………………

o  SUNDAY CLEAN-UP SCHEDULE by the Kill the Spill Crew | Surfrider Cleanup, too.

Although the EPA got involved with cleanup and had official crews starting work on Ocean Beach at 3:30pm (surfers’ efforts worked so far!) — and the media was all over it –we heard the Kill the Spill crews were able to continue working.   The grassroots KTS surf crew will still continue efforts on Sunday.  Meet 2pm at Taraval is the word.    Stay tuned for more updates here and at http://www.zunasurf.com/oilspill  or KTS site  http://sfoilspill.blogspot.com

o  Surfrider SF’s own regularly scheduled cleanup for SUNDAY seems to be still on. 
They meet Sunday at 10AM Stair 17 in front of Beach Chalet.  Check their site first, since that may change anytime.  http://www.SFsurfrider.org

- KTS sources, Zuna Surf Staff 

Sat Update (5pm) – Frustrated Volunteers, Threats of Arrest, YouTube

o  As reported in the SF Chronicle just now about citizen clean-up efforts…

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/11/10/BASETAB1P.DTL
o  If you didn’t see the YouTube video about Kill The Spill’s group efforts on Friday, go here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WscZJ2Dh0RY