Spill Response Status Report - May 24, 2004

Issued by the Unified Command for the 248-P2 “Point Wells” Spill:

Active cleanup ends; response shifts to long-term monitoring

SEATTLE -- The active cleanup from the Point Wells oil spill on Puget Sound has been completed.  The response continues with long-term monitoring and weekly inspections along beaches and a marsh on the northern shore of Port Madison in Kitsap County and the Port Madison Indian Reservation. 

The Unified Command – representing Foss Maritime Company, Kitsap County, the Suquamish Tribe, the U.S. Coast Guard and the Washington Department of Ecology – determined that no more oil can be removed from the affected areas because attempts to remove any residual oil at this point would do more damage to the environment than leaving it in place.   

The cleanup from the Dec. 30 spill lasted 16 weeks.

The Unified Command oversees all response to the spill under state and federal oil spill cleanup laws.  The command assembled a team of scientists to guide the planning and implementation for all parts of the cleanup. 

Oil went ashore between Miller Bay and Jefferson Head.  Cleanup operations focused on this area, particularly at the beaches, tidelands and Doe-kag-wats marsh on lands owned by the Suquamish Tribe, Camp Indianola and the state Department of Natural Resources.

“We’ve pledged to see the response to this spill through for as long as it takes,” said Foss Maritime’s Incident Commander, Bruce Reed.  “This important milestone is not the end of the response by any means.”   

Foss Maritime has assumed financial responsibility for the cleanup.

“There is almost no visible sign of oil,” said Dale Jensen, spills manager for Ecology.  “The beach and marsh look nothing like the heavily oiled scenes in December.”

“I am very pleased with the overall response effort.  There was outstanding cooperation between Foss Maritime, and all local, state and federal agencies throughout the four-month response operation,” said Lt. Tedd Hutley, the Coast Guard’s incident commander.  “The Coast Guard will continue to monitor the situation and support the activities of the trustee agencies.”

Tribal representatives stated that, while spill damage could never be totally eliminated in a cleanup effort, they are generally satisfied with the efforts made by Foss Maritime and its cleanup contractors to remove oil from a place that is of great cultural and spiritual importance to the Suquamish people. 

“The day after the spill, Foss Maritime made a commitment to us to do the right thing for the beach and marsh,” said Leonard Forsman, tribal spokesperson. “So far they have honored their commitment.”

A specially-trained team from the Suquamish Tribe will conduct weekly inspections of the beach between Indianola and Point Jefferson and the marsh. Warmer weather may soften and release some residual oil.  The tribal inspectors will be able to call in cleanup crews to respond, if needed. 

Unified Command members are developing a plan to sample beach, marsh and tidal sediments to check contamination levels. 

Tribal-owned beaches and the marsh area behind them remain closed until further notice.  The tribe is hiring a toxicologist to provide advice about any potential health concerns related to tribal members using the beach and marsh areas this summer. 

Shellfish harvesting remains closed by the Washington State Department of Health (WDOH) between Miller Bay and Jefferson Head except for offshore commercial geoduck gathering.  Tests showed that the offshore geoducks were not contaminated.  There are plans to collect and analyze shellfish samples from the beaches to determine when the closure can end.

 WDOH and Kitsap County Health District have determined that people may walk on the publicly owned beaches, and the beaches are open east of the entrance to Miller Bay to Point Jefferson.  Swimming and wading are allowed, but they caution beach visitors to get out of the water promptly if they see oil or rainbow-colored sheen.  If oil gets on the skin, wash it off with soap and water.  Do not use solvents, gasoline, kerosene, diesel fuel or similar products to clean the skin. 

 Ecology and the Coast Guard are investigating the cause of the spill and will issue separate findings.  The spill occurred shortly after midnight Dec. 30 as a Foss Maritime Company barge was receiving a load of oil from the ChevronTexaco terminal at Point Wells.  Oil drifted southward toward the center of Puget Sound and then moved into Port Madison with shifting winds and tides. 

The initial response involved more than 200 people, eight skimming vessels, 13 support boats and three helicopters.  Crews set out 17,000 feet of boom at the terminal and at 11 other pre-identified sensitive locations, including Doe-kag-wats where rough seas and high winds partially breached the boom.

Cleanup crews removed oiled driftwood and natural debris and scrubbed down larger logs left in place.  Teams used water to flush oil from the beaches, taking advantage of natural wave action or pumping water onto gravel and sand.  In some areas, workers hand-scrubbed cobble beaches rock by rock. 

The lagoon required special care so that the cleanup would not cause long-term damage to the sensitive area.  Crews trimmed plants below the water level, freeing trapped oil.  Water from the creek that feeds the lagoon and high tides circulated oil into absorbent booms and pads.