Bay County Deepwater Horizon update

East winds have pushed the oil far away from Bay County, Emergency Services Chief Mark Bowen told the Bay County Commission Tuesday, though he cautioned that a tropical disturbance in the Gulf could spell a change for the worse.

"The good news is, the weather's been favorable. We're about 150 miles outside the area of uncertainty," Bowen said.

However, he said, an area of low pressure near Puerto Rico warrants close attention.

"If you look at the modeling, one of the models puts this close to Panama City. All of the models put it close to the gulf," Bowen said.

He said Unified Command is already making preparations to remove the Tier 3 booming if necessary, as it could damage sensitive seagrass nearby if tossed about in a storm. He said there are certain "trigger points" that would put storm preparations -- such as relocating heavy equipment -- into effect.

"They are trying to be very proactive," he said. "It doesn't mean that they're leaving, or that the boom or equipment won't come back."

In other news:

-- The Florida Department of Environmental Protection issued a fact sheet concerning the oil spill and methane gas, in response to rumors circulating that methane could cause a tsunami in the Gulf. Click here to read more about methane gas as it relates to the oil release.

-- Bridge loans for oil-spill affected businesses are now available in Bay County through the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) in partnership with the Bay County Economic Development Alliance (EDA). Five million dollars has been allocated to fund the program, which provides loans of up to $25,000, interest-free, for up to 12 months to businesses that are physically or economically damaged by the spill. To be eligible, the business must have fewer than 100 employees and been operational for at least one full year. Eligibility requirements, documentation, applications and instructions can be found here. For more information, please call the SBDC at (850) 271-1108.

-- The Department of Financial Services will hold a seminar for businesses from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Panama City Hall on Wednesday, July 21. For more information, please visit the Division's website.

-- Residents and visitors who see oiled wildlife should call Oiled Wildlife Hotline number at (866) 557-1401 and allow authorities to rescue the injured animal. Bay County residents may also call 248-6030 to report oiled or injured wildlife.

-- Often reports of oil are found to be naturally occurring substances such as seagrass and algae. Click here to read a press release about discerning oil from naturally occurring substances.

-- Two decontamination stations are staged in the gulf, with one located three miles south of the St. Andrews Pass and another seven miles south of the pass. Those stations are for commercial, military, response and recreational vessels that are actively sheening as a result of contact with oil product. Boaters whose vessels may have been affected by contact with oil may contact the U.S. Coast Guard on their VHF radios at Channel 16 or Channel 71. A new website, created by BP, lists vessel decontamination locations within the U.S. Coast Guard Mobile Sector for oiled boats.

-- The public is asked to report suspected oil sightings on Bay County shores or in the Gulf to Bay County's hotline at (850) 248-6030, rather than calling 9-1-1, as the emergency response system is for life-and-death situations, and Unified Command can better respond to beach cleanup requests if the local number is used. Residents may also call (866) 448-5816.

-- The state Department of Environmental Protection and the state Department of Health continue to conduct water and air quality sampling. To learn more about the sampling and for health advisories concerning the Deepwater Horizon oil release, click here. DEP conducted water and sediment sampling to use as a baseline and is monitoring air quality data. Statewide air quality monitoring is conducted in coordination with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Learn more here or here. An online mapping resource that contains up-to-date health advisory information for Florida's beach waters can be viewed here.

-- BP's local claims office is located at 7938 Front Beach Road, in the shopping plaza near the Bay Street Deli. Business owners and those who have been affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil release may use this as a resource for recouping their financial losses. BP advises that people filing claims should still call the toll-free number to enter their information into the claims database. That number is (800) 440-0858. BP also has opened a community support office located at 3101 U.S. 98, across the street from Howell Marine and Tackle Supply. At this office, BP can provide information about the oil release and answer community questions.

-- Oil spill employment opportunities in this area are available. Visit the state Web site for Gulf Recovery Jobs information.