Ocean Beach Foundation

Concerned agencies of the SF Bay Oil Spill,
As a member of the Ocean Beach Foundation, http://www.oceanbeachfoundation.org I have worked to acquire a surf rake from the H Barber company for regular maintenance of Ocean Beach. Upon hearing of the spill we have been in contact with the company to see about getting the machines to aid in the emergency cleanup.
Melissa Corcoran from H Barber Company http://www.hbarber.com/Cleaners/SurfRake/Applications.aspx#oil spill forwarded the information below to demonstrate the effectiveness of their equipment on oil spills and offers the companies support in the effective cleanup of Ocean Beach and surrounding beaches.
attached is her letter to me as well as a PDF detailing its use in Spain Oil spill.

The machine is effective in sandy beaches and will prevent oil from recirculating with the tides.

Point Reyes ,Muir beach, Stinson, Ocean beach as well as some areas in the east Bay could greatly benefit form these machines.

Its my understanding that 3 private companies are leading the cleanup. Double Barrel NRC and Obrians Group from New Orleans.
As Public officials I hope that you can work together with these privatized cleanup crews to use the resources I have outlined here.

below is message from Hbarber

PRESTIGE OIL RESPONSE

Use of beach cleaners on the long stretches of beaches in Aquitaine

Unlike the Erika spill which impacted a very rocky coastline involving beaches followed by rocky stretches, the oil from the Prestige beached on endless stretches of sandy beaches. Organising efficient manual response was seriously hampered by the stretches of sandy beaches, the fact that access to them was far from easy and tides that did not help either. The situation would have required either tens of thousands of responders who wouldn't have had all that much to do or else organise an enormous transport effort from one work site to another every day to contend with the recovered quantities. The fact is that the oil would tend to be remobilised constantly by the wind, waves, tides and currents and require constant reorganisation from the logistics point of view. Wind and wave action was such that responders were prevented from cleaning up the oil two hours before and after high tide. Repeated beachings of oil coupled with the constant threat from offshore of more slicks to come forced responders to focus on removing the bulk of the oil whilst fine tuning was left for much later on. In view of this, plus the fact that the public and local politicians just did not want to see responders keep on using the bucket and spade technique, the Polmar authorities decided to use machines as often as possible and indeed requisite numbers of men and machines were put to work on these beaches.

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The SURF RAKE is available on United States Department of Defense Contract#SPO-500-F-0096.

If I can provide any information or assistance, please let me know.

I hope this e-mail finds you well.

Very truly yours,

Melissa M. Corcoran

H. Barber & Sons, Inc.

203.729.9000

www.hbarber.com