As a public service, the Unified Command is issuing bulletins twice a day -- at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. -- to provide updates on the oil spill that occurred on July 5 in Narragansett Bay, south of Prudence Island. A Command Center has been established at Pier 2, Coddington Cove, Middletown.

Key phone numbers for obtaining oil spill information and submitting reports are as follows:

Status of Spill and Clean-up: DEM and marine biologists from the University of Rhode Island have taken water samples from the entire spill area this afternoon. There was no visible evidence of oil in any of the samples taken at a variety of depths, nor was there any oil found in sediment samples. Those samples have been sent out for additional laboratory testing. Clean up operations continue on land and in the East Passage. A small quantity of re-floated oil was scooped up in the immediate area of the spill. Shoreline operations have focused on an area approximately one half mile north and south of McAllister Point. More than 140 personnel are actively engaged in clean up and recovery operations.

Effects of Spill on Fishing, Boating and Swimming: Personnel from the Rhode Island Departments of Health (DOH) and Environmental Management (DEM) have conducted a survey of the area closed to fishing to determine whether a portion of that area could be reopened based on the absence of oil. As a result of that survey and computer modeling data, the two agencies have agreed to reopen 2,250 acres of the fishery. The area from the northernmost portion of Carr Point in Portsmouth; west to Red Nun 22 located off Dyer Island; south to the Green Nun 17; and east to Bishop Rock in Newport remains closed. The area reopened represents about half of the area closed in this week's spill. (see linked chart, hit refresh to ensure up-to-date map).

Officials from the DOH will monitor lobster dealers this weekend. While the department has confidence in the quality of lobster taken from the reopened area, the inspections are being conducted as an added measure of control.

Status of Assessment Activities: Data from this afternoon's overflight of the spill area indicated a significant improvement over yesterday. No free-floating oil was spotted. In addition there were no oil sheens south of Bishop's Rock and the Fort Adams area. Some light sheening was seen in the vicinity of the shore clean upDEM marine biologists are conducting twice-daily inspections of the area to categorize natural resource damage. DEM and volunteers continue to rescue waterfowl effected by the spill. Five Canada Geese were rescued today, six birds could not be retrieved, and rescue attempts are being made to retrieve another 12 to 18 birds. These birds are oiled, but can still fly.