Ecology, South King, Port of Seattle, Renton and Boeing fire departments responding to burning aviation gasoline spill in Federal Way

By Curt Hart, Spills Program

The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology), South King Fire & Rescue, Port of Seattle, Renton and Boeing fire departments are responding to a 9,000-gallon aviation gasoline spill that caught fire and is still burning just off U.S. Interstate 5 in Federal Way.

All traffic lanes on I-5 are open.

The fuel spill and fire occurred after a tanker truck owned by Lee &

Weather permitting, Deep Sea to leave Penn Cove at 5 a.m., June 6

By Larry Altose, Ecology public information



The 140-foot fishing vessel Deep Sea, raised from the bottom of Penn Cove June 3, is ready to depart, depending on weather conditions.



Winds forecast for today could push wave heights to 4 feet, while safe towing conditions require waves under 3 feet.Tomorrow’s forecast predicts calmer conditions, and the Deep Sea’s tentative departure time is 5

Preparations continue for Deep Sea lift, expected June 3

By Larry Altose, Communications Manager, Northwest Regional Office

COUPEVILLE, Wash. – Divers made progress as they worked in very soft silt to prepare to raise the sunken fishing vessel Deep Sea from the bottom of Penn Cove, near Coupeville on Whidbey Island. The vessel continued to release small amounts of oil, which formed thin coatings on waters nearby.

A multi-agency unified command is

Deep Sea lift to begin no sooner than Sunday

By Larry Altose, news media relations, Northwest Regional Office



Contractors plan to begin raising the sunken fishing vessel Deep Sea off the bottom of Penn Cove, near Coupeville on Whidbey Island no sooner than Sunday, June 3. Divers have been preparing the vessel since Friday and will continue to do so through this week.

A multi-agency unified command is coordinating the recovery effort.

First crane barge to arrive in Penn Cove later today

By Curt Hart, Communications Manager, Spills Program


DB Oakland crane (stock photo from General Construction)

The D.B. Oakland, a 140-foot crane barge owned by General Construction Co., left Seattle early this morning and is on its way to Penn Cove to support efforts to lift the sunken fishing vessel Deep Sea.

The crane barge should arrive in Penn Cove around 5 p.m. today.

Global Diving &

Penn Cove salvage work continues, removal operations no sooner than May 30

By Curt Hart, Communications Manager, Spills Program

Federal, state, local agencies and private contractors are continuing to work through the Memorial Day weekend to raise and remove the sunken 140-foot fishing vessel, Deep Sea that continues to slowly leak oil into Penn Cove in Island County.

A multi-agency unified command has been created to plan and carry out emergency response operations.

Spill Log: Weekend spills prompt Olympic Pipe Line to shut down fuel line

By Curt Hart, Communications Manager, Spills ProgramThe Olympic Pipe Line Co shut down its 400-mile interstate liquid fuel pipeline system twice this past weekend after two separate fuel spills occurred at the company’s Mount Vernon control station.As we watch the oil industry change the way and type of oil that’s being moved around the nation – a good example is the proposed Keystone XL pipeline

As mop-up continues at BP Cherry Point refinery, Ecology, EPA responders see no pollution threat to water but air monitoring continues

By Curt Hart, Department of Ecology, Spills ProgramResponders from the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have determined that no oil or polluted runoff has reached Washington waters at the BP Cherry Point Refinery near Ferndale.Ecology and EPA officials were at the refinery to assess and monitor potential environmental problems after a large fire

Ecology, Washington State Patrol and Tukwilla Fire Department responding to semi-tractor trailer truck accident in King County

By Curt Hart, spills communications manager, 360-480-7908 (curt.hart@ecy.wa.gov)UPDATE: Dec. 8, 2011 (2:45 a.m.)Ecology, Washington State Patrol, Tukwila Fire Department, Washington State Department of Transportation, King County Sheriff's Office and private cleanup contractors continued working through the night to remove the truck and trailer from the Duwamish River and keep traffic safely

Ecology, Coast Guard, NRC and Ballard Diving respond to fuel spill in Port Orchard

By Curt Hart, Ecology Communications Manager, 360-480-7908 SEATTLE – The Washington Department of Ecology, U.S. Coast Guard, NRC Environmental Services and Ballard Diving & Salvage will work tomorrow to raise the Top Notch, an 85-foot boat that sank and spilled diesel fuel today inside the Railway Marina in Port Orchard in Kitsap County.Federal, state and private responders deployed oil

Ecology, Coast Guard and Railway Marina responding to sunken boat in Port Orchard

By Curt Hart, communications manager, 360-480-7908 (curt.hart@ecy.wa.gov)OLYMPIA – The state Department of Ecology, U.S. Coast Guard and Railway Marina are responding to a 85-foot boat that sank today at the Port Orchard marina in Kitsap County. The wood-hulled pleasure craft, Top Knot, has an unknown amount of diesel fuel on board. Railway Marina has hired a private cleanup contractor to help

Multiple agencies respond to gasoline spill in Bellevue

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – 2:30 a.m., November 28, 2011BELLEVUE – The state Departments of Ecology and Transportation, Washington State Patrol, Bellevue Fire Department, a private cleanup contractor and other teams are responding to a gasoline spill after a tanker overturned on Interstate 405 on Sunday evening in Bellevue.Up to 3,400 gallons of gasoline is believed to have spilled to the roadway,

Ecology, SPU and Coast Guard responding to gasoline release at south end of Lake Union

UPDATE: Nov. 24, 2011 (11 a.m.)On Wednesday evening (Nov. 23, 2011), Ecology and Seattle Public Utilities worked closely with the owner of the property with the old gasoline storage tank. The property owner quickly hired a private cleanup contract to secure the site to keep any more gasoline-contaminated surface water runoff from further reaching the city's storm drain system — including stacking

UPDATE: Agencies to monitor slow release of ammonia on Tulalip Reservation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – 2:30 a.m., November 14, 2011News release #2Media contact: Dieter Bohrmann, Department of Ecology, 360-701-7401TULALIP RESERVATION – The Washington Department of Ecology, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Coast Guard, and Tulalip Fire Department remain on the scene of a tank leaking ammonia on a marine beach on the Tulalip Indian Reservation. Ammonia is a corrosive

Multiple agencies respond to ammonia release on Tulalip Indian Reservation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – 12:05 a.m., November 14, 2011Media contact: Dieter Bohrmann, Department of Ecology, 360-701-7401TULALIP RESERVATION – The Washington Department of Ecology, Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Coast Guard, Tulalip fire and fisheries departments and a cleanup contractor are responding to an ammonia release from a tank on a marine beach on the Tulalip Indian Reservation.

Edfu arrives safely at Port of Tacoma

By Jim Sachet, Spills Response Manager, Southwest Regional OfficeThe M/V Edfu arrived safely in Tacoma shortly after 3 a.m. Saturday. The Edfu lost both of its anchors during a maneuver on the Columbia Bar on Thursday evening. Because sailing with no anchors is dangerous and the recent history of this vessel, the U.S. Coast Guard required that it be escorted by tug boats from Astoria through the

UPDATE: Emergency response tugs escorting cargo vessel to Port of Tacoma

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – 3:45 p.m., November 11, 2011News release #2 Contact: Dieter Bohrmann, Department of Ecology media relations; 360-701-7401OLYMPIA – The Department of Ecology is coordinating with the U.S. Coast Guard to escort a cargo vessel to the Port of Tacoma for inspection and repairs. The M/V Edfu is currently in the Strait of Juan de Fuca near Neah Bay.The M/V Edfu briefly lost

Emergency response tugs deployed to escort cargo vessel to Port Angeles

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – November 10, 2011, 9:50 p.m.Contact: Dieter Bohrmann, Department of Ecology media relations; 360-701-7401OLYMPIA – The Department of Ecology is coordinating with the U.S. Coast Guard to escort a cargo vessel from Astoria to Port Angeles after it briefly lost propulsion Thursday evening as it was crossing the Columbia River bar. The M/V Edfu has since regained power and is

Spill Log: Puget Sound spills cap off busy week, Partnership sounds alarm

By Curt Hart, Communications Manager, Spills ProgramOn Thursday October 13, I wrote a blog about the oil spill affecting New Zealand and how two recent incidents involving commercial vessels in Washington’s waters highlighted similar spill risks here.Oil spill in West SeattleAnyone who turned on their TV, radio, surfed the web, or read a newspaper last Friday October 14 probably heard about the

Ecology, Gig Harbor fire and police departments responding to oil spill in Gig Harbor

By Curt Hart, Communications Manager, Spills ProgramEcology and Gig Harbor fire and police departments are responding to an oil spill in Gig Harbor in Pierce County. A barge owned by Marine Floats with a 5-ton deck crane sank in the harbor. The sunken barge has leaked an unknown amount of fuel, causing an oil sheen on the water. The fuel has been removed from the barge crane. The barge owner has