Coast Guard Conducting Major Pollution Exercise In Havre de Grace

HAVRE DE GRACE, MD - Don't be alarmed if you see non-civilian boats in the waters around Havre de Grace this week. State, federal and local agencies are conducting a pollution exercise in the Susquehanna River basin on Wednesday, Sept. 20, and Thursday, Sept. 21.

There will be two spots in Harford County where the training exercise will be taking place: an inlet in Havre de Grace and at the Harford County Emergency Operations Center in Hickory, according to Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Barry Bena.

Boats will be out on the water in Havre de Grace practicing how to contain spills, rescue wildlife, skim oil, establish safety zones and protect water intake.

Agencies are practicing in the event they are called upon to respond to complex incidents on the water.

The command post will be at the Harford County Emergency Operations Center in Hickory. There, representatives from various agencies will coordinate logistics, communications, financial and response planning.

According to the Coast Guard, these partners will be participating in the exercise:

• Coast Guard Sector Maryland-National Capital Region
• Environmental Protection Agency
• National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration
• Maryland State Historic Preservation Office
• Maryland Natural Resources Police
• Maryland Transportation Authority
• Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research
• Other federal, state and local stakeholders

“This exercise provides a tremendous opportunity for maritime professionals from across the Chesapeake River basin to practice our inter-agency spill response while safeguarding our community, our environment and maritime infrastructure,” Coast Guard Commander Mike Batchelder, the acting incident commander for the exercise, said in a statement.

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Image via Havre de Grace.