NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A timely wind shift pushed a half million-gallon oil spill away from a Mississippi River wildlife refuge, and cleanup crews progressed quickly in containing the spill.

"There's less of a threat to the delta than we were initially afraid of," said Howard Poitevint, southeast Louisiana project manager for the Fish and Wildlife Service.

The spill resulted when the tanker Westchester lost power and ran aground late Tuesday at Port Sulphur, 60 miles down the meandering river from New Orleans.

By Thursday afternoon, the oil was contained by 30,000 feet of booms and was being sucked up by vacuum pumps on barges, said Jimmy Jenkins, secretary of the state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. He said cleanup should be completed in two days.

"We dodged the bullet," Jenkins said. "In my humble opinion, we're not looking at a whole lot of damage."

The slick killed at least two birds, and Poitevint said more oil-soaked wildlife likely would be found. "There are a number of pelicans and other birds feeding on fish in the area," he said.

Jenkins said he did not expect the state to cite the tanker's operator, ERMIS Maritime Corp. of Greece, if there was no lasting environmental damage.

A 26-mile stretch of the Mississippi still is being limited to one-way traffic in alternate directions, said Coast Guard Capt. Stephen Rochon. The busy shipping route was closed much of Wednesday.

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The Coast Guard is investigating the incident.


On the Net:

Delta National Wildlife refuge: southeastlouisiana.fws.gov/delta.html

Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator's Office: www.gov.state.la.us/depts/oilspill.htm

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