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Department of Ecology News Release - May 14, 2009
09-108
BELLEVUE – The Department of Ecology (Ecology) has fined Olympic Tug & Barge Co. (Olympic) $16,500 for failing to take measures to prevent an oil spill from a fuel barge in October, 2007 in Seattle.
A valve left open – with no procedures in place to check it – caused approximately two gallons of diesel fuel from the barge Bernie 112 to enter the East Waterway on Oct. 23, 2007. The barge was pumping fuel onto a cargo vessel at Terminal 18 on Harbor Island.
“The best protection against oil spills is solid prevention,” said Dale Jensen, who manages Ecology’s spill prevention, preparedness and response program. “Our concern extends far beyond the two gallons spilled. Washington state requires exacting care before and during marine fuel transfers. It’s every vessel owner’s business to know the plumbing on board, what to check, and the settings required for a tight, closed system.”
The valve led to a fuel tank in the engine room in a house on the barge deck. The tank overflowed through an air vent on top of the house. The oil first flowed to a rim used to contain an overflow, but the rim’s rain plugs were removed, allowing some of the oil to flow onto the deck and over the side. Also, the tank lacked an alarm to warn barge operators when it was full and close to overflowing.
The barge’s oil transfer procedures manual – required on all vessels that deliver oil – made no mention of the valve and connection to the on-deck tank.
Olympic has removed the connection from the main fueling line to the on-deck tank on the Bernie 112 and another similarly-configured barge.
The company may appeal the penalty to Ecology or to the Washington State Pollution Control Hearings Board within 30 days.
Preventing oil spills is part of Ecology’s commitment to reducing toxic threats and to supporting to the Puget Sound Partnership’s goal of preserving and restoring the Sound by 2020.
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Media Contact: Larry Altose, Ecology media relations, 425-649-7009; pager 206-663-1785
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
