There was an oil spill in the harbor today. The coast Guard says it was not enough to be harmful to marine mammals and will dissipate normally.
From the Seattle Times:
Lt. Marina Turner at the Coast Guard office in Seattle said the spill, called into the Coast Guard at about 10:45 a.m., was not potentially harmful to marine mammals and was evaporating naturally.
The Coast Guard and Ecology aren’t sure what caused the spill, but Turner said it may have been from a boat that had fueled up at the marina and then accidentally spilled some of the diesel.
Couple things here; First: there is no fuel in the harbor, so how could someone be fueling up there. Second, if a spill that big is no big deal I’m going to stop worrying about a couple drops at the gas dock. I’m not saying I don’t think it was an accident, I believe it probably was, I just don’t buy the whole it’s no big deal thing.
Good Fishin' To Ya'
Kerry W Allen
Gig Harbor Fly Shop
Gig Harbor.com
I work for Ecology’s spill prevention, preparedness, and response program. We also responded to the Nov. 19, 2010, oil spill in Gig Harbor. Unfortunately, my agency didn’t receive timely notification of the spill which is required by state and federal law. By the time we arrived, we were unable to pinpoint a source. By the time Ecology and Coast Guard responders arrived, the fuel had evaporated and dissolved into the water. It was too dispersed and thin to recover.
Ecology does anticipate environmental damage as a result of this spill. All spills matter, regardless of size – even small- to medium-sized spills such as this one. Although there may not have been dramatic visual evidence of wildlife damage, cumulatively these spills add to the pre-existing toxic loading to Puget Sound – and that affects virtually all parts of the Sound’s ecosystem.
Ecology is committed to a rapid and aggressive response to hazardous materials spilled into state waters. We urge everyone to promptly report report oil spills to 1-800-258-5990. You can also find more information about reporting environment problems on our website at: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/reportaproblem.html