The Daily News
By Marqise Allen
September 30, 2012

U.S. Coast Guard officials and contractors have contained and siphoned off the diesel from a Wednesday spill in the Columbia River.

Cowlitz Clean Sweep finished pumping 5,500 gallons of diesel and oily water from the Tiffany, a fishing boat whose fuel tank leaked early last week. The spill spread a half-mile oil sheen across the Columbia River near Lord Island, Coast Guard spokesman Nathan Bradshaw said Sunday.

Work crews initially pumped 1,700 gallons of polluted water off the ship Wednesday after setting up a floating barrier to contain the spill.

Bradshaw said the agency is uncertain how much diesel leaked into the river or whether the spill damaged the surrounding environment and nearby wildlife.

“We still don’t know how much diesel leaked because the owner of the vessel didn’t know how much was in the tank,” Bradshaw said. “It’s hard to estimate.”

The floating barrier won’t be removed until today to ensure

additional diesel didn’t seep out of the boat after Saturday’s cleanup.

The Coast Guard and Washington Department of Ecology will begin an investigation after the barrier is removed to determine the environmental impacts, what caused the leak and whether any fines will be assessed, Bradshaw said. A maximum penalty of $40,000 per day, per violation could be levied by the Coast Guard, if they decide to impose a fine.

The boat’s owner, Ronald Carnagey, has been cooperative with authorities. His boat had been under state scrutiny as a “vessel of interest” because it is in poor condition.

Original source