Unified Command responders conduct an overflight of the oil spill incident site at Port William, Kodiak Island, Alaska, March 7, 2018. U.S. Coast Guard photo.
KODIAK, Alaska – Unified Command responders continue cleanup efforts and wildlife assessments of the oil spill site at Port William, in Shuyak Strait, 49 miles north of Kodiak, Friday.
Ninety-six bags of oily solids have been collected and are being stored on the vessels Nuka Island and Retriever. Responders are maintaining the inflatable containment boom and collect soiled absorbent pads daily. No oily product has escaped the boom, and there continue to be no reports of impacted wildlife in the immediate or outlying vicinity of the site.
The Unified Command, consisting of the Coast Guard and Alaska Department of Environmental Conversation, continues to stress site safety as it works to develop ongoing waste management and debris disposal plans. This process includes identifying resources and coordinating those resources so the incident response continues in a safe and organized approach.
“This building that originally contained the fuel bladder has now completely collapsed, hampering responders from conducting a full assessment of the site and structures,” said Geoff Merrell, State On-Scene Coordinator with ADEC. “Global Diving and Salvage has been contracted to complete a structural assessment and assist in developing a safe and comprehensive debris removal plan.”
Due to the isolated location and complexity of this incident, response efforts will continue until the oil and debris are removed from the site.
