Coast Guard responds to oil sheen in Kitoi Bay, Alaska

 

News Release

U.S. Coast Guard 17th District Alaska Contact: 17th District Public Affairs Office: (907) 463-2065 After Hours: (907) 209-6509 17th District online newsroom

Coast Guard responds to oil sheen in Kitoi Bay, Alaska

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The Coast Guard is responding to a report of an oil sheen in Kitoi Bay, Alaska, Friday.

Coast Guard Sector Anchorage Incident Management Division and Marine Safety Detachment Kodiak issued a Notice of Federal Interest to Kitoi Bay Hatchery, today, after receiving notification of an oil spill in Kitoi Bay on Afognak Island. The Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund was opened in the amount of $15,000 and a pollution response team is expected to conduct an on-scene assessment Saturday morning. 

A NOFI puts a potential responsible party on notice and, under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, the responsible party may be financially responsible for oil removal costs and damages resulting from the pollution incident. Federal removal actions will be limited to monitoring progress of the responsible party's actions and providing guidance as necessary. 

Watchstanders at the Sector Anchorage Command Center received notification from the National Response Center at 4 p.m., Friday, that Kitoi Hatchery reported approximately 1,200 gallons of oil leaked from a transfer line. 

“Our job is to ensure the potential for pollution in this situation is mitigated,” said Senior Chief Petty Officer Erik Patterson, command duty officer at Sector Anchorage Command Center. “Our focus right now is to get a team on site to assess the situation and provide guidance for effective pollution response."

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