Digital Extra

The scientists who packed the Corless Auditorium at URI's Bay Campus also reported on the dozens of research projects under way to assess the health of South County's waters and wildlife.

The most damning comments aired at the meeting included criticism of the use of booms to mop up the home heating oil spilled from the grounded barge and the possible use of chemicals to break up the oil slick.

Malcolm Spaulding, a professor of ocean engineering, said the booms were "essentially useless" in stopping the oil's waterborne travels because the oil has managed to slip underneath the booms and into more environmentally sensitive areas.

But Kenneth Hinga, assistant dean of URI's Graduate School of Oceanography, said the booms probably will do some good, especially in calmer waters.

"To not try the booms would be very foolish," Hinga said. "Booms obviously have a lot of good uses."

But he agreed with Spaulding that those placed in fast-moving waters, such as the entrance to Point Judith Pond, will not keep the oil at bay.

"These people are prepared for a crude oil spill, and this is not crude oil," he said of the cleanup teams installing the booms.

Other professors decried the use of chemical dispersants to cleanse the oil-polluted ocean and pond water.

"The message is: Don't," oceanography Prof. Paul Hargraves said.

While the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has given approval to the use of chemicals, the Coast Guard has not yet elected to do so.

Hargraves said the chemicals will "compound the damage" already wreaked on the ocean's sea life. The bacteria in the ocean responsible for breaking up the oil will be killed off by the chemicals, he said.

In coming days and weeks, URI scientists will continue to take water and sediment tests, as well as assess the fish and shellfish populations, both dead and alive.

On Sunday, URI's research vessel, Captain Bert, trawled sections of the ocean between one and two miles from the coastline.

Joseph DeAlteris of the department of fish, animal and veterinary sciences said he wanted to know: "Could it be a zone of death and destruction?"

It turned out not to be the case. Scientists didn't find any dead fish, and captured many healthy skate, flounder, herring and crabs, DeAlteris said.