NEW YORK — The Coast Guard is continuing to oversee clean up operations at the Motiva facility in Sewaren, N.J.
Product and water is being recovered by vacuum trucks from the
secondary containment area and pumped into a separate onsite storage
tank. As of 4 p.m., the response organization has collected 151,200
gallons of oily water mixture. This material includes product
transferred from one of the damaged tanks, secondary containment and on
water skimming operations.
The response has reported four oiled birds and notifications have been made to Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research.
Responders continue to contain and recover diesel fuel in the
containment area around the storage tanks, in Woodbridge Creek, Smith’s
Creek and the Motiva Terminal docks on the Arthur Kill Channel.
Assessments of the surrounding waterways, creeks and community have been
conducted. Contractors are working to remove contained pockets of oil
in Smith’s Creek utilizing skimmers, vacuum trucks, absorbent pads, and
absorbent boom. Additional cleanup actions are ongoing around the docks.
Approximately 14,000 feet of containment boom has been deployed.
The Coast Guard, along with NOAA and other federal agencies, are
working together with the New Jersey Department of Environmental
Protection and officials from Middlesex County, N.J., to oversee spill
containment and cleanup efforts. Primary concerns are protecting both
the public and the threatened natural resources from any additional harm
caused by the spill.
Normal air readings were reported after MultiRAE air monitoring tests
were conducted by members with the Coast Guard Atlantic Strike Team for
the community around Smiths Creek. The MultiRAE is a combustible gas
indicator that showed 20.8% normal oxygen levels, zero percent volatile
organic compounds readings and lower explosive limits as well as zero
levels of hydrogen sulfide and carbon monoxide.
Motiva Enterprises is working closely with the responding agencies
which include the U.S. Coast Guard, and the New Jersey Department of
Environmental Protection. Approximately 150 responders are taking part
in the cleanup effort.
Continued assessments are being conducted via small boat up and down
the Arthur Kill channel to locate any more recoverable oil. The Coast
Guard is continuing to conduct over flights in the area to assess the
impact of the oil.
Motiva has appropriately taken responsibility for the incident and
has fully implemented their facility response plan to include a formal
incident command system being established.
