UPDATE 1: Coast Guard responding to oil sheen in Astoria, Oregon

News Release

U.S. Coast Guard 13th District Pacific Northwest Contact: 13th District Public Affairs Office: (206) 220-7237 After Hours: (206) 251-3237 13th District online newsroom

Coast Guard responding to oil sheen in Astoria, Oregon

An oil sheen can be seen trailing from under a dilapidated pier near the Cannery Pier Hotel in downtown Astoria, Oregon, Jan. 20, 2018. Coast Guard personnel alongside state, local and contracted responders are trying to identify the source and are installing containment boom in various areas to prevent further spread into the Columbia River. U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy of Sector Columbia River aircrew.

Containment boom is being placed around various areas around a dilapidated pier to prevent further spread of a sheen on the surface of the Columbia River in Astoria, Oregon, Jan. 20, 2018. Coast Guard Incident Management Division Astoria personnel are on scene and directing cleanup efforts by contracted personnel from Global Diving and Salvage. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Sector Columbia River aircrew.

Editors' Note: Click on images to download high resolution version.

 

 

ASTORIA, Oregon -- Coast Guard and local salvage personnel discovered the potential source of the oil sheen and are working to minimize environmental impacts on the Columbia River near Astoria, Saturday.

Coast Guard Sector Columbia River’s Incident Management Division (IMD) team from Astoria are working with Global Diving and Salvage personnel, who located a 20-foot-long tank underneath the Cannery Pier.

While the tank has a reported maximum spill potential of 4,200 gallons, it’s unknown at this time how much product has been discharged.

Sector personnel are working closely with the salvage company as well as the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and the Washington Department of Ecology to develop a plan to address the potential removal of portions of the pier to access the tank and conduct fuel removal.

Cleanup operations were completed at the beach east of the Hammond Mooring Basin at 11 a.m., Saturday.

The sheen currently extends east of the Cannery Pier to the western end of the West Mooring Basin and Coast Guard personnel have placed containment boom around the affected areas.

Oil samples were taken and will be sent to the Marine Safety Laboratory in New London, Connecticut, for analysis.

 

-USCG-