VIDEO AVAILABLE: 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

VIDEO AVAILABLE: Coast Guard responding to oil sheen in Astoria, Oregon

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

 

ASTORIA -- Coast Guard and local salvage personnel continue cleanup of oil sheen on the Columbia River near Astoria, Monday.

Coast Guard Sector Columbia River’s Incident Management Division team from Astoria is overseeing vessel decontamination activities and facilitating agency assessments of the local environment.

An over-flight was conducted at 10 a.m., showing the sheen concentrated around a pier near the Cannery Pier Hotel & Spa, but secondary containment boom has been placed around the affected area.

Cleanup efforts continue this week at the West End Mooring Basin as a Global Diving and Salvage team works to decontaminate affected vessels.

The decontamination process will keep oil within the contamination area to enable vessels to safely exit the marina without further impacting the Columbia River.

Sector members are working with Global Diving and Salvage, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and other partners to ensure a safe and effective plan is developed to address removal of the suspected source of discharge beneath the pier, which will continue in the coming weeks.

Sector personnel worked alongside Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Seaside Aquarium, and the Wildlife Center of the North Coast personnel to conduct wildlife assessments at Fort Stevens State Park, Desdemona Sands, Hammond, and West End Mooring Basin.

No environmental or wildlife impact has been reported in any of these areas.

Sector personnel are in communication with the owners of the Cannery Pier Hotel & Spa, who are supportive of the response and have kept business open to guests.

 

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