By Mark Edward Nero
The cleanup of a diesel fuel spill from a tank barge at the Kinder Morgan Bulk Terminal in northwest Portland is complete, US Coast Guard personnel said Oct. 28. The USCG had reported the release of 418 gallons of diesel into the Willamette River took place around 5:15 am on Oct. 26.
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.
Inspectors with the Coast Guard Incident Management Division in Portland monitored and oversaw the cleanup, while Clean Rivers Cooperative was the contracted cleanup company.
“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, a pollution responder with the Coast Guard Sector Columbia River Portland incident management detachment.
The Coast Guard investigation of the spill, which was from an above deck fuel tank on the barge, is ongoing. The USCG says that Kirby Offshore Marine, the owner of the tank barge, is fully cooperating with the agency’s investigation of the incident.
