ATLANTIC BEACH, Fla. — The barge that grounded off of Atlantic Beach for the past three months finally got moving Thursday morning. It was part of a test tow to make sure it can be transported back to shore safely.
That barge lost a lot of its cargo while it was stranded. Thousands of tons of coal ash, an industrial waste byproduct of coal power plants was released into the water.
Many of you have asked if it’s safe to swim in the water there or even to eat local seafood.
"Me and all my buddies we surf almost every day," Dominic Anderson said. "We go around the Jacksonville Beach area."
But once Anderson heard about the grounded barge, releasing five-thousand tons of coal ash, he’s been avoiding that part of the coast.
"For the most part, yeah. I’ll stay a little more toward St. Augustine," Anderson said.
Forty-four water and sediment samples were collected from around the barge. A report released this week by an independent testing group shows test results show “no adverse effects to the environment, wildlife or human health.”
"My initial response was of great relief," Dr. Quinton White, a biology professor at Jacksonville University, said. "I was pleasantly surprised that the report came out with as good of news that it did."
Some commercial shrimpers tell First Coast News they have seen no impact from the coal ash barge on their local catches, but they wonder what will happen in the future.
White doubts it. "As far as we can determine now, what happened with this incident is done and over with. The material is gone. It wasn’t very toxic and that’s great."
Anderson is skeptical about the latest report showing the wreck will have no adverse effects on humans and wildlife.
"I find that hard to believe," he said.
However, White and his taste buds have confidence in the findings. "I’ll probably be getting some Mayport shrimp myself in the next day or so."