DAPHNE, Ala. — With all eyes toward the Gulf of Mexico and the oil spill threatening Alabama’s coastline, local leaders are hopeful the Eastern Shore will be spared the brunt of the environmental disaster’s wrath but preparing contingency plans should the area’s waters be breached.

Spanish Fort Mayor Joe Bonner said the city is seeking the assistance of Alabama Reps. Randy Davis and Steve McMillan to help determine what protocol should be followed to safeguard the Causeway.

“We’re working on a plan to close the inlets with some sort of barge, and—in case winds should become a problem—the possibility of a line of boom behind the barges,” Bonner said, noting the contingency plan is being reserved for a “worst-case scenario” only.

“We’ve planted that seed, and hopefully it’s being considered,” he said.

In addition, Bonner said he learned during Monday’s Mobile Unified Command briefing that the contractor Spanish Fort uses for debris removal and cleanup following hurricanes can be engaged, but the company will deal directly with BP.

Bonner said the company used recently renewed its contract with the city for another three years. The Unified Command representatives are comfortable contracting with the companies already under contract with the individual cities affected because they already meet Federal Emergency Management Agency guidelines, reducing greatly the amount of time required to greenlight the cleanup process.

Daphne Fire Marshal Chip Martin said Daphne uses CrowderGulf for disaster debris removal services as does Baldwin County.

Martin said he has been attending or listening to twice-daily briefings from both the Baldwin County Emergency Management Agency and the Unified Command post in Mobile.

Fortunately, he said, Daphne is not considered in imminent danger of oil landfall, but he said the requests have still been made through the proper channels—including both the Baldwin County and Alabama Emergency Management agencies—to allow for the placement of boom along the city’s most vulnerable locales.

“They’re not expecting landfall at this point anywhere in Alabama before Thursday, and honestly they’re focusing on priorities like Dauphin Island,” Martin told the Daphne City Council during Monday’s regular meeting.

Although ideally, the Alabama Department of Environmental Management would provide booming for the requested areas—including but not limited to D’Olive Creek, Bay Forest and the Lake Forest Yacht Club—Martin said the city is designing a contingency plan, wherein, the city would deploy boom at its own expense, but it is promises to be a costly endeavor and is only being considered a last-resort suggestion at this point.

Boom, he said, costs roughly $25 per foot and another $2.50 per foot per hour in monitoring costs.

Martin did say BP officials announced just moments before the council meeting that they are releasing $25 million each in block funding to the states of Alabama, Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana to help offset the upfront costs associated with mounting cleanup activities. One possible use for the funds, he said, would be the hiring of vessels and mobilization.

Martin also encouraged residents to check the city’s Web site for updates on the situation at www.daphneal.com.

Daphne Council President August Palumbo said although he applauds public safety officials for moving forward with the creation of a contingency plan, he is uncomfortable with the city undertaking a task as arduous and potentially liable as deploying boom.

“We’re on our own if we do that,” Palumbo said.

District 6 Councilman Derek Boulware said although he understands the contingency plan is a last resort, he feels better knowing a backup plan exists.

“Having our own fallback is just good business. We have been seen. We have been heard. But we haven’t been greenlighted for anything. Hopefully, we won’t have to pull our own trigger. Hopefully BP will come through,” Boulware said.