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Abstract:
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In 1996 the tank barge Buffalo 292 suffered a catastrophic structural failure, spilling nearly 5000 barrels of heavy fuel oil into Galveston Bay. The oil severely impacted Galveston Island and Bolivar Peninsula and was blown out to sea, threatening hundreds of miles of shoreline in the Gulf of Mexico. The cleanup following the spill was reported on a national news level. The response efforts received fair, accurate, and favorable news coverage as the result of an aggressive and well-managed public information system. This favorable coverage was due in part to public relations contingency planning and media relationships developed during the planning process. |