UPDATE 7 and Final: Unified Command ends response efforts at Port William oil spill site

U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 04/20/2018 07:40 PM EDT

united states coast guard

 

News Release

  

U.S. Coast Guard 17th District Alaska
Contact: 17th District Public Affairs
Office: (907) 487-5700
After Hours: (907) 487-5700

USCG ADEC
UPDATE 7 and Final: Unified Command ends response efforts at Port William oil spill site

A Port William oil spill responder conducts hot water pressure washing to clean oil from a rocky beach area at the Shuyak Island spill site near Kodiak, Alaska, April 6, 2018. Pressure washing rocks became an effective way to remove oil. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Alaska Chadux Corporation.   A Paradigm Marine excavator conducts beach-tilling operations to release trapped oil in the inter-tidal zone at a spill site on Shuyak Island near Kodiak, Alaska, April 7, 2018. The Unified Command determined that response efforts are no longer producing measurable results and were starting to impact the environment. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Alaska Chadux Corporation. Responders at a Port William oil spill conduct beach deluge operations to flush and recover trapped oil from freshly-tilled inter-tidal zone at the Shuyak Island spill site near Kodiak, Alaska, April 7, 2018. The deluge process washed away any oily product collected by absorbent materials. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Alaska Chadux Corporation.

Editor's Note - To download high-resolution imagery, click the photos above.

KODIAK, Alaska – The Unified Command announced the end of response efforts at the oil spill site at Port William, in Shuyak Strait, 49 miles north of Kodiak, Friday.

Responders deployed 3,280 feet of large inflatable ocean boom and 550 feet of fast water boom around the dock facility and an adjacent beach. Sorbent materials were placed inside the booms, which responders collected a total of 1,878 bags of oily waste.

 

In the seven weeks since the incident, as many as 54 personnel were on-site or in the incident command post from the responding agencies and oil spill response organizations. Eleven vessels were used to transport personnel, supplies, equipment and debris.

 

The collapsed building that contained the 3,000 gallon fuel bladder was dismantled by using a barge and crane, allowing personnel to safely access oiled debris under the building and nearby shore. Dive teams retrieved below-water debris. A crane removed containers of petroleum products and other potential hazards from the standing part of the facility.

 

On-shore, personnel used small excavators to move large debris and till sand and gravel to support beach cleanup efforts. The beach was deluged with water to wash oil residue into sorbent material for collection, and a crane barge removed oiled debris. Hot pressure washing removed oil from rock surfaces.

 

On-site personnel performed daily assessments of the shore and water around the spill site. There have been no reports of oiled wildlife in the surrounding area or of oil outside of the containment area.

 

“After a thorough assessment, we have determined that response efforts are no longer producing measurable results and are starting to impact the local environment,” said Geoff Merrell, state on scene coordinator, Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation. “The Unified Command is in agreement that this is the right time to wind down the operation.”

 

The Unified Command’s objectives to ensure the safety and security of the public and response personnel, determine extent and scope of incident, contain and recover spilled material, maximize the protection of the environment, monitor for impact to wildlife, and keep state, federal and the public informed of response activities were met.

Click here for the initial news release.
Click here for Update 1.
Click here for Update 2.
Click here for Update 3.
Click here for Update 4.
Click here for Update 5.
Click here for Update 6.

Click here to view ADEC's incident website.

For more information contact:
Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Charly Hengen at (907) 723-5367
Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation Laura Achee at (907) 465-5009

 

-USCG-