U.S. Coast Guard Sector Buffalo Command Center received initial reports of an oil sheen near the shoreline of
Breitbeck Park on March 8. Upon further investigation, U.S. Coast Guard and New York State Department of
Environmental Conservation confirmed evidence of a number six fuel oil discharge originating from the
Oswego Harbor Power facility and immediately commenced operations to identify and isolate the source
preventing further introduction of oil into the Oswego harbor.
Simultaneously, cleanup crews deployed approximately 2,000 feet of boom to contain the spread and remove
any oil visibly present in the Oswego Harbor utilizing special absorbents. To date, approximately 30,000 gallons
of oil has been recovered and more than 200 tons of contaminated soil has been excavated and removed from
the Oswego Harbor Power facility grounds.
More than 100 contracted personnel from US Ecology, Miller Environmental and other environmental response
agencies are continuing to assess the source and the cause of the leak, as well as the volume of oil that has
spilled into the harbor. Cleanup operations have resulted in greatly diminished signs of oil in the harbor and
teams will continue to closely monitor conditions and respond accordingly if new sightings occur.
City officials remind mariners to never cross the boom, regardless of the size of the vessel and to refrain from
using the lower Breitbeck trail to allow contractors to continue work unimpeded. NYSDEC licensed
rehabilitation centers have recovered ten affected birds and released a duck back into the wild. Cleanup teams
are on a constant lookout for other affected wildlife. In the event that members of the public encounter wildlife
with visible signs of oil exposure, please contact 1 (800) 899-4672.
For more information please contact the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Buffalo Public Affairs Officer Lt.j.g. Andre
Clansy at (716) 860-2148 or via email at Andre.J.Clansy@uscg.mil.
-USCG
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