BILOXI– Listed below are the latest updates and actions taken by members of the

Mississippi Joint Operations Center in Biloxi:

MS Joint Operations Center Oil Spill Operations Update:

n  BP’s severe weather preparedness plan is underway, and evacuations of the rig site are in progress, including the relief well drilling rig, as well as the specialized vessels at the spill site.  Assets on land are being repositioned away from low-lying areas.  The federal government authorized BP to leave the well capped for the duration of the storm.

n  Due to Tropical Storm Bonnie, the following oil spill related activities have been temporarily suspended:

n  Vessel of Opportunity deployment.

n  Petroleum related debris recovery.

n  In Situ burns.

n  Onshore equipment is being relocated from low-lying areas to inland staging areas.

n  Shoreline impact reports light oiling in Jackson County at Graveline Bayou and the East Pascagoula Bay.

n  Clean-up crews have stopped all operations in preparation for Tropical Storm Bonnie.

n  A possible oil patch is located approximately 15 miles southeast of Petit Bois Island, which is approximately seven miles from the Mississippi Coast.

n  Over the next 24 hours, oil is expected to move northwest into the Breton Sound threatening the Chandeleur Islands.

MS Department of Environmental Quality and MS Department of Marine Resources:

n  MDMR and MDEQ have opened Mississippi’s territorial marine waters to licensed live bait shrimping and recreational catch-and-release hook and line fishing in areas previously closed.  These areas are not open to any commercial harvesting activities. For more information regarding all open and closed waters, visit www.dmr.ms.gov.

n  The beach advisories in Hancock, Harrison and Jackson counties remain in effect. They are listed at www.usm.edu/gcrl/msbeach/index.cgi.

n  A mandatory crab trap removal order by MDMR and MDEQ, which goes into effect at 6 p.m. July 28, is only for the closed waters of the Mississippi Sound. Contact the MDMR Shrimp and Crab Bureau at 228-374-5000 with any questions or concerns.

Mississippi National Guard:

n  The Mississippi National Guard has activated 30 more soldiers to support on-going oil spill response operations and Tropical Storm Bonnie in the Gulf of Mexico.

n  The Mississippi National Guard flew two missions Thursday, in support of Operation Deepwater Horizon Response and will continue flying daily reconnaissance missions to locate oiled beaches, damaged boom and oil nearing the shores.

n  Approximately 150 Mississippi National Guardsmen have been deployed to assist in the response.

BP and Incident Command Post Mobile:

n  The Incident Command Post Mobile is watching Tropical Storm Bonnie and is communicating with Unified Area Command about severe weather plan implementation.

n  BP reports 17,041 claims in Mississippi and $21,058,847.44 has been paid.

n  Claims offices in Mississippi are located in each of the coastal counties. Office locations, contact information and more about the claims process can be found at  www.bp.com/claims.

n  Reports one dead oiled bird collected and one oiled bird collected alive.

n  From 5 to 8 p.m. Monday, at the Bay-Waveland Middle School Cafetorium, representatives from BP and other state and federal agencies will be on hand to speak with individuals and answer questions related to the oil spill.  This event is being hosted by St. Gerald’s Community Outreach Office of Catholic Charities.

Mississippi Emergency Management Agency

n  MEMA and Hancock, Harrison, Jackson and other surrounding counties are working together to activate storm plans in preparation for Tropical Storm Bonnie.

n  MEMA staff will also continue to monitor the counties for tar balls and other oil impacts that may be related to Tropical Storm Bonnie.

Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Service:

n  MCVS ceased all Volunteer activities today. Volunteer deployment will remain inactive until the oil spill response efforts resume.

n  When oil spill activities resume volunteers are needed for the following organizations: Hancock Chamber of Commerce, Bay St. Louis Childcare Development Center, Coastal Rivers in south Jackson County waterways, Humane Society of South Mississippi, Waveland Animal Shelter, Bay Area Food Bank, Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant, Institute for Marine Mammal Studies, Gulf Islands National and Walter Anderson Museum.

n  For more information on volunteer opportunities and responsibilities, visit www.mcvs.org. 

n  Residents, volunteers and nonprofit organizations are invited to visit Volunteer Response Center locations between 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday - Friday to seek volunteer information. For locations, visit www.mcvs.org.

n  Non-profit organizations can request volunteers by completing a request form obtained through a VCR. Volunteer requests must be related to the oil spill response.

n  MCVS is not accepting any donated materials, supplies, or funds from external organizations or agencies. To make a financial contribution or donate products to Mississippi nonprofits affected by the oil spill, please register with the National Donations Management Network-Mississippi at www.aidmartix.org.

n  For more information, visit www.mcvs.org and click on register to volunteer.

MS Department of Employment Security:

n  MDES is accepting applications for Mississippi residents seeking paid oil response work.  Visit www.mdes.ms.gov and click on the oil spill link.

Important Phone numbers:

n  Submit claims to BP:  800-440-0858.

n  Report oiled wildlife:  866-557-1401.

n  Report oiled shoreline/ vandalized, broken or damaged boom:  866-448-5816.

n  Alternative technology, services or products/ vessels of opportunity:  866-279-7983.

n  Report stranded dolphins or sea turtles: 888-767-3657

n  Report dead fish, birds or animals: 228-523-4128.

n  Wildlife rescue training: 866-647-2338.