USCG informed that a crane barge and other large equipment have arrived in Astoria, in order to begin the pier deconstruction, regarding an oil spill that was first reported on January 18, near a pier west of the Cannery Pier Hotel & Spa.
The pier deconstruction works will removal the boiler oil tank, which is located underneath the collapsing dilapidated pier next to the hotel.
The Coast Guard Sector Columbia River, Coast Guard Pacific Strike Team, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, Washington Department of Ecology, National Response Corporation Environmental Services and Global Diving and Salvage contractors, are on scene since the oil spill was reported.
The response team are conducting oil containment works, marina and boat cleaning, environmental impact assessments, ordering and gathering response equipment and identifying a method to safely access the tank.
During operations on the weekend, the tank released oil product into the water that remained mostly within the containment boomed area. A vacuum truck and two skimmers began removing the oil from the site, having collected 1,500 gallons of oily water mixture.
The maximum potential of the spill is estimated to be at 4,200 gallons, but it is still unclear how much oil product has been released from the oil tank.
Furthermore, a Seaside Aquarium wildlife expert conduct a wildlife assessment in the vicinity of Desdemona Sands, with no reports of impacted wildlife.
Moreover, an aircrew aboard an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Sector Columbia River flew over the impacted area also and discovered only trace sheening outside the containment area.
