Spill Update

“248-P2” Spill

For Immediate Release             

December 30, 2003

3 p.m.  Release #3

Contact: Joint Information Center: 206-546-7162

Clean-up of Point Wells spill under way

            Richmond Beach, Wash. – Work crews continue to clean up an oil spill at Point Wells on Puget Sound, between Seattle and Everett.  The response is under the direction of a unified command, led by the U.S. Coast Guard, the Washington State Department of Ecology and Foss Maritime Company.

            The spill occurred after midnight today when the Foss Maritime tank barge 248-P2 was taking on a load of Number 6 Bunker marine fuel oil from the ChevronTexaco terminal at Point Wells.  Crews immediately stopped the flow of oil and began to respond to the spill.  Approximately 4,800 gallons of oil entered the water, but 1,200 gallons was recovered from the barge deck.  The cause of the spill is under investigation.

            Crews have set up five thousand feet of boom around the terminal and in waters to the south, where oil initially drifted with the incoming tide.  There are 90 people in the field responding to the spill, operating 18 vessels, seven skimmers, and three vacuum trucks.  Another 12,000 feet of boom are staged for further deployment.

            Oil has drifted south into the main channel off North Seattle and Shoreline.  The Edmonds wildlife preserve and  Pipers and Boeing creeks have been boomed.  Crews are being dispatched to survey beaches in the area.  Visitors to beach areas should not touch oil or oiled rocks or sand, nor disturb any marker flags set up in shore areas.   

            Foss Maritime immediately notified the Coast Guard and state authorities and brought in clean-up crews from the National Response Center, Marine Spill Response Corporation, Clean Sound Cooperative and Global Diving and Salvage. 

            “Keeping Puget Sound clean is very important to us,” said Bruce Reed, Foss Maritime incident commander.  “We regret that this spill has occurred and we’re putting in whatever effort it takes to protect public safety and to remove spilled oil from the environment.”

            Staff from ChevronTexaco are providing additional technical and logistical support to the clean-up effort.   

            So far crews have recovered one oiled harbor seal pup and one oiled gull.  Both animals were chilled and are being warmed.   

            The central Puget Sound region contains eelgrass beds, salt marshes, and spawning beaches for baitfish.  Port Madison is a major herring spawning area, with spawning season due to begin in January.  The area’s shallow bays are home to Dungeness crabs and hardshell clams.  Birds live in the area, including herons and waterfowl.  There are small seal haulouts. 

            The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has set up a toll-free telephone hotline for people to report oiled birds and wildlife: 1-800-22-BIRDS.  It is unsafe to attempt to handle wildlife, both for people and for the animals. 

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Assignment editors, news directors:

News briefing: 3:30 p.m.

ChevronTexaco Point Wells Terminal

Directions:  From Highway 99 in Shoreline, go west on 185^th Ave. N. 

185^th becomes Richomond Beach Road, which later becomes 195^th Ave.

195^th becomes 196^th.

The road ends at a T.  Turn right onto Richmond Beach Road, which ends at the terminal gate.