The following is the text of a news release from the U.S. Coast Guard:
(WARRENTON, Ore.) — Coast Guard personnel have declared that the cleanup of a diesel fuel spill from a tank barge at the Kinder Morgan Bulk Terminal in northwest Portland was completed Tuesday morning at 9:30 and all cleanup materials have been removed from the area. The Coast Guard reported the release of 418 gallons of diesel into the Willamette River on Monday.
Inspectors with the Coast Guard Incident Management Division in Portland monitored and oversaw the cleanup, while Clean Rivers Cooperative was the contracted cleanup company. Containment boom was placed around the area where the diesel spill occurred to prevent the fuel from spreading and absorbent boom and pads were used in cleaning up the spill.
"Facility and vessel response plans were quickly and properly followed by the Kinder Morgan Bulk Terminal and Kirby Offshore Marine allowing for containment boom to be in place helping to mitigate exposure caused by the spill," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Billy Lemos, pollution responder, Coast Guard Sector Columbia River IMD Portland detachment. "The Coast Guard's job is to ensure that the source of the spill is secured, cleanup is completed properly and an investigation is completed so that the responsible party is held accountable."
The Coast Guard investigation of the spill from an above deck fuel tank on the barge is ongoing. Kirby Offshore Marine, the owner of the tank barge, is fully cooperating with the agency's investigation of this incident and is committed to prevention of incidents and protection of the environment.
