NEW YORK – Coast Guard pollution response teams will begin leaving notices to owners of vehicles, vessels or tanks that are potential pollution threats to the marine environment in New York and New Jersey.
Working with local marinas and municipalities, the teams will search for damaged or displaced vehicles, vessels or tanks that could contain oil or hazardous substances. If the teams discover such hazards, they will attach red warning stickers with contact information prompting owners to take urgent action.
Owners who find a sticker on their vehicle, vessel or tank should contact the Coast Guard Incident Command Post immediately at (347) 515-6418.
“Because these damaged tanks and vessels threaten both the marine environment and public health, we want to work quickly to identify the owners and reduce negative impact,” said Coast Guard Cmdr. Eric Doucette, Federal On Scene Coordinator for the pollution response.
Coast Guard personnel from across the country are deploying to support affected communities in across the region, and are working with federal, state and local partners to ensure the success of this response.
Agencies engaged in the unified response effort are:
- U.S. Coast Guard
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
- New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
- New York Department of Environmental Conservation
- New York City Department of Environmental Protection
- Local governments in impacted areas
The Hurricane Sandy Pollution Response is requesting any person who sees pollution to contact the National Response Center at (800) 424-8802. These reports will help responders identify, reduce and remove these environmental threats.
Any oiled wildlife should be reported to the Tri-State Bird Research and Rescue at (302) 737-9543. Oiled wildlife should only be handled by trained professionals for the safety of the wildlife and public.
