Walton Co. readies beaches for oil

SANTA ROSA BEACH, Florida (WALA) - The Walton County Sheriff's Office has developed a definitive plan to contain and absorb oil before it affects the county's 26 miles of coastline.

Sheriff Michael A. Adkinson, Jr. addressed the Board of Walton County Commissioners Thursday.

The Sheriff’s Office has been working with locally based contractor C.W. Roberts in developing this plan. The Board unanimously approved a motion to set aside up to $1.5 million from its reserve fund to help the sheriff's office protect the beaches.

Walton County has bought hundreds of hay bales. They will be deployed as the first line of defense to protect the beaches from the giant oil slick.

The plan is to scatter the hay on the water. Once it comes in contact with the oil, the hay will clump together, almost like seaweed. Then workers can pick up the oil, right along with the hay. Hay is native to the area and is a green product, which is safe to the environment.

Sheriff Adkinson stressed that the protection of the county's unique coastal dune lake system is essential. Sheriff's personnel, along with county public workers, began putting out booms to prevent the Gulf Waters from entering the Dune Lakes. Additional material will also be put out if necessary to seal off the environmentally sensitive lakes from oil.

Captain Mike Barker, Walton County Chief of Emergency Management has submitted the sheriff's office oil defense plan the plan to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, but his personnel are not waiting to begin preparations.

"We are awaiting approval. However, that's not hindering the actions we're taking now. I think the people expect us, and it's incumbent upon us to be proactive and not wait on the bureaucracy of the government to catch up," Sheriff Adkinson said.