Activists watch for potential impact on environment as Key Bridge cleanup unfolds
As authorities begin removing twisted wreckage from the the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse, they’re confronting the potential for environmental fallout
Authorities removing twisted wreckage from the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge are deploying nearly a mile's worth of barriers in the water, testing samples for contamination and monitoring the Patapsco River for oil and other hazardous spills as they confront the potential for environmental fallout.
The Unified Command, which includes state agencies and the Coast Guard, said Thursday they have unfurled 2,400 feet (732 meters) of an absorbent containment device, along with another 2,400 feet (732 meters) of barrier to try to prevent the spread of any hazardous materials.
It's a scenario that environmental experts are watching closely for a number of reasons, including the river's location in a metropolitan area that plays an important role in commercial shipping, as well as for marine life and migratory birds moving northward at this time of year.
“Any time you have something like this happen, there’s a risk of some sort of hazardous material getting in the water. And I think the question really is how much and to what extent,” said Gary Belan of American Rivers, a national nonprofit that focuses on issues affecting rivers across the country.
The possibility for a major environmental problem could arise from the bridge materials that fell into the river or from the containers aboard the cargo ship, the Dali, he said. But a big concern would be if the ship's fuel container ruptured and spilled into the water.
“If that gets… into the river we’re talking about a pretty strong environmental catastrophe at that point, particularly going out into that part of
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