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The Alaska State OSC contacted the SSC by phone and email to the Alaska RRT co-chairs and members for DOC (NOAA) and DOI regarding a request from a responsible party to use a Subpart J bioremediation agent (Micro-Blaze) on diesel-contaminated soils along the Nenana River shoreline from a truck accident last November that released up to 120 gallons of diesel fuel. Due to winter conditions, the diesel was minimally recovered. The contaminated soil exceeds the State's cleanup levels but is too close to bridge abutments to allow for a complete excavation of the contamination.

On April 20, 2024, Energy Transfer reported a pinhole leak from a 30-inch pipeline in the West Cameron lease block. The discharge is reported as condensate from a natural gas line. The line is reported to be in the process of being shut in. On April 24, the Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator's Office (LOSCO) requested NOAA SSC for a trajectory to evaluate if any surface oil was likely to reach Louisiana State waters.

On the morning of 19-APR, the NOAA NW RRO was notified by both NOAA Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary and USCG Sector Puget Sound about the 32 ft Makah fishing vessel “Lil Monster” that sank in Makah Bay at 0330 during the halibut fishery opener. The max potential is 300 gallons of diesel fuel, currently no active sheen. Several crew members have been rescued, but USCG is still performing search and rescue (SAR) operations to locate one last crewmember.

On 17-APR-2024, USCG Sector Puget Sound IMD contacted NOAA NW RRO to report the Tug Island Venture is taking on water in South Puget Sound near the southeast corner of Squaxin Island. The report was later clarified that the tug was not taking on water, but rather it's 260 ft barge loaded with gravel that had started taking on water and was intentionally grounded on SE Squaxin Island.

On 15-APR, USCG Sector Puget Sound contacted NW RRO regarding a disabled 87ft USCG Patrol Boat near Dungeness Spit. The vessel was adrift 1,300 ft east of the northwestern extent of Dungeness Spit and disabled due to mechanical issues. The call was for notification and phone support of any sensitive resources in the area. The vessel was later repaired and able to get underway with no release of fuel or bilge waters.

On 09-APR, USCG Sector Columbia River contacted NOAA NW RRO to notify them of a sheen of potential crude oil reported by a USCG overflight 1.5 nautical miles offshore of North Bend, OR. The overflight occurred on 08-APR and described a patch of sheen, grey and brown in color with a sludge like appearance. The caller stated it appeared similar to crude oil releases from natural seeps that they have observed while working in California. No shoreline impact has been reported. USCG requested any NOAA information on natural seeps in the area. No other requests at this time.

Oil Spill | Corpus Christi, TX | December 2022  What Happened?

On December 24, 2022, a pipeline failure at the Ingleside crude oil terminal Dock #5 in Corpus Christi Bay (“Bay”) occurred. The terminal and pipeline are owned by Flint Hills Resources (“Responsible Party”). The pipeline failure released approximately 14,000 gallons of light crude oil into Corpus Christi Bay. The responsible party worked with local, state, and federal agencies to establish a command post in Corpus Christi, Texas from December 30, 2022, through January 5, 2023.

On April 3, 2024, USCG received a report of floating tar patties released from the dismantling of a Hilcorp barge. Tar patties were observed impacting a marsh shoreline in the area of the release. Cleanup is underway. The USCG requested the NOAA SSC provide on-site support.

On March 30, 2024, NOAA's Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO) notiifed the NOAA SSC about a Right Whale carcass floating off the coast of Virginia. GARFO has requested a hindcast for the past 48-72 hours for an estimate of where the whale was when it died.

On 3/28/2024, US Air Force (USAF)/ Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson (JBER) Environmental personnel notified USCG regarding a release from an old landfill located on a bluff at the Port of Anchorage. The landfill and bluff are on USAF property on JBER. A green liquid was reportedly draining from the bluff into a storm drain and into Cook Inlet.

On March 28, 2024, the USCG Sector San Francisco notified their NOAA SSC of a potential pollution case involving the 39 foot, wooden hulled F/V WESTERLY grounded on Point Reyes near Drakes Bay. At the time of the call, search & rescue (SAR) operations were underway and the pollution potential was not known. An update call at 1545 hrs indicated the vessel was on the rocks, had a maximum potential of 400 gallons diesel on board and access to the site from both land and water was severely restricted due to terrain, rocky shoreline, and surf conditions. Due to high concern for the vessel breaking up before pollution could be properly mitigated, USCG requested oil fate & transport information to inform potential risks and timing to local sensitive areas.

On March 28, the M/V American Mariner was reported by a third party as having struck a cement aid to navigation in the St. Marys River at the South entrance of Munuscong Lake, Michigan, suffering damage on the bow. No pollution has been reported, and none has been observed on scene by the USCG Cutter Katmai Bay. USCG Sector Northern Great Lakes (NGL) reports that the bulk freighter is unloaded, dewatering, and that its dewatering pumps are able to keep up. Sector NGL requested RAR in event of a pollution release.

On March 27, 2024, the M/V Burns Harbour bottomed while loading cargo alongside the BNSF Pier at Duluth Harbor, near Superior, WI. There is no threat of pollution. Two hours prior, the M/V American Courage bottomed alongside its pier while loading in Marquette, MI, on the other side of Lake Superior. USCG Sector Northern Great Lakes contacted the SSC for assistance in communicating reported abnormally low lake levels. The SSC provided current and historical lake level information. Lake levels are not abnormally low, and this was likely not a primary contributing factor to the two vessels bottoming, despite the coincidental timing. The SSC provided information on the sedimentation, dredging, and survey of channels, harbors, and piers.

On March 27, 2024, the M/V American Courage bottomed while loading cargo alongside the Ore Pier at Presque Isle Harbor, near Marquette, MI. There is no threat of pollution. Two hours later, the M/V Burns Harbour bottomed alongside its pier while loading in Superior, WI, on the other side of Lake Superior. USCG Sector Northern Great Lakes contacted the SSC for assistance in communicating reported abnormally low lake levels. The SSC provided current and historical lake level information. Lake levels are not abnormally low, and this was likely not a primary contributing factor to the two vessels bottoming, despite the coincidental timing. The SSC provided information on the sedimentation, dredging, and survey of channels, harbors, and piers.

At 0600, USCG Sector Maryland notified the NOAA SSC that The Port of Baltimore is closed due to a major marine casualty. The 948-foot Singapore-flagged vessel DALI struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge. A safety zone is established for all navigable waters of the Chesapeake Bay within a 2000-yard radius of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Search and Rescue (SAR) operations are underway. Vessel has sustained major damage to the bow. An unknown number of containers fell into the water and a number of containers on board the vessel are damaged.

On March 25, 2024, the secondary containment at a tank battery owned by Denbury Resources discharged an estimated 3-5 bbls of crude oil and produced water mix into a drainage ditch leading to Horsepen Bayou, located in Harris County, TX . Sector Houston-Galveston responded as first Federal on-scene, EPA is arriving this evening to assume FOSC. OSRO is on-site and has deployed boom, vac trucks, and skimmers. The discharge is contained. Wildlife agencies (TPWD and USFWS) have been notified.

On 22-March-2024, NOAA Marine and Aviation Operations notified the SSC of a diesel spill that occurred during fueling of the NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson at MOC-A in Norfolk, VA. Per standard practice in this location, the ship was boomed by NOAA personnel prior to fueling. The camlock on the fueling barge failed, resulting in diesel release onto the barge, the NOAA vessel and in the Elizabeth River. Fueling operations were secured, the contractor and ship’s crew quickly deployed measures to absorb and mitigate the spread of spilled fuel, and an OSRO was site.

On the morning of 08-MAR-2024, USCG Sector Los Angeles/Long Beach contacted their NOAA SSC to request support for a 2.5 mile by 1.5 mile "sheen" about 2 miles off of Bolsa Chica wetlands. USCG requested trajectory support for potential impacts to local resources at risk.

On March 5, 2024, NOAA Fisheries Southeast contacted the NOAA SSC requesting a drift analysis for a 30-foot humpback whale carcass floating approximately 25 miles off the North Carolina coast, in the vicinity of the Outer Banks. The SSC contacted the ERD Oceanographer on call with the request.

Alaska SOSC and EPA FOSC contacted the Alaska SSC via email regarding a request from an RP to use in situ burning for a small volume of diesel fuel in ice. The RP reported that 10-gallons of diesel spilled onto a ice pad constructed on top of a frozen tundra pond. Some of the diesel drained deeper into the ice via ice cracks.