Activists watch for potential impact on environment as Key Bridge cleanup unfolds

By MIKE CATALINI
Associated Press

As authorities begin removing twisted wreckage from the the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse, they’re confronting the potential for environmental fallout. They are deploying nearly a mile’s worth of barriers in the water, testing samples for contamination and monitoring the Patapsco River for oil and other hazardous spills. The Unified Command, which includes state agencies and the Coast Guard, said Thursday they’ve unfurled 2,400 feet of an absorbent containment device, along with another 2,400 feet of barrier to try to prevent the spread of possible hazardous materials. Environmental experts are watching closely because of the river’s location in a metropolitan area that plays an important role in commercial shipping as well as for marine life and migratory birds.