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A year ago Monday (3/23), a barge in Galveston Bay struck a ship and sprung a leak. Up to 168,000 gallons of marine fuel oil spilled into the bay, and the Houston Ship Channel was closed for a few days between Galveston Island and Bolivar Peninsula.
Fast forward to two weeks ago – a foggy morning in Greater Houston, when the Carla Maersk collided with another vessel, the Liberian bulk carrier Conti Peridot, near Morgan's Point. The ruptured tanker spilled an unknown amount of a gasoline additive into the busy waterway. A five-mile stretch of the Ship Channel was closed for days.
On this edition of Houston Matters, we'll talk with News 88.7 Energy and Environment Reporter Dave Fehling and Galveston Bay Foundation's Bob Stokes about that collision, the fallout, and the ensuing investigation.
Then, we'll look back at last year's oil spill in Galveston Bay, and find out what, if anything, came of it and the ensuing cleanup. Then, we'll consider what, if any, procedures might be worth reviewing following these more high-profile collisions and spills.
Also this hour: Houston Matters’ Maggie Martin visits TranStar to see how the partnership works to reduce traffic congestion and respond to accidents.
And: We discuss the latest developments in Houston sports with CultureMap Houston‘s M.K. Bower.