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BP to remove anchors after oil spill

ST. BERNARD PARISH, La., Jan. 30 (UPI) -- The U.S. Coast Guard told BP to drop test anchors to find the best way to find and remove boom anchors left in the Gulf of Mexico after the oil spill.

BP left behind thousands of boom anchors in the gulf and area waters, and locating and removing them will occur in three phases, The (New Orleans) Times-Picayune reported Sunday.

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The first phase, to begin this weekend, concerns finding the best way to remove the anchors. The second phase will involve finding and removing anchors left in St. Bernard Parish near New Orleans. The last phase, if the first two phases are successful, will involve recovering all remaining anchors in state waters, The Times-Picayune reported.

St. Bernard Parish President Craig Taffaro said an estimated 3,500 anchors remain in his area alone.

The 20- to 70-pound anchors were used to secure the booms lining parts of the Louisiana's to help keep the oil spewing from BP's Macondo well from reaching the marshes, the newspaper said.

Local fishermen said BP contractors cut the boom from the anchors, leaving them to snag and tear fishing nets. The anchor ropes get tangled in boat propellers, the fishermen said..

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"If we need to initiate litigation against BP then we will do that. But we are very happy to see that (the plan) is progressing and we will monitor the program," said Jefferson Parish Councilman Chris Roberts.

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