Guyana's EPA Investigating Claims of an Offshore Oil Spill

On Sunday, the Environmental Protection Agency in Guyana(EPA) said it was investigating claims of an offshore oil spill in Guyana.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.The EPA announcement followed video posts made by a Facebook-based news organization ‘Guyana Daily News’, which show an oily substance in the water offshore. The exact area was not immediately clear.

“A fishing boat is on its way with staff from our Emergency Response Team to the general area as we don’t have specific coordinates, and also an aerial surveillance is being conducted today,” the EPA reported.

They have asked that any members of the public that encounter the substance to take samples. If estimated coordinates for which the substance is seen are known, they have also asked for it be reported.

Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig, Director General of the Civil Defense Commission (CDC), said the CDC is awaiting the initial assessment by the EPA. In the meantime, the CDC is continuing to work closely with them and the National Oil Spill Contingency Committee.

He concluded by saying that the media will be updated once they have more details of what is happening.