Delaware Oil Spill Could be Worse Than Thought
12-01-2004 | 04:47 AM
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Delaware Oil Spill Could be Worse Than Thought
Delaware Oil Spill Could be Worse Than Thought
By GEOFF MULVIHILL, AP
PAULSBORO, N.J. (Nov. 30) - The Coast Guard said Tuesday that investigators believe much more oil spilled from a ruptured tanker in the Delaware River near Philadelphia than the 30,000 gallons initially reported.
Coast Guard Lt. Buddy Dye said 473,500 gallons from the tanker Athos I are unaccounted for, but called a leak of that size a "worst-case scenario.''
The worst oil spill in the river's history occurred in 1989, when a tanker ran aground near Claymont, Del., spilling 300,000 gallons.
Dye said it could take four or five days for investigators to probe the vessel to determine how much oil actually escaped through a gash discovered Saturday, a day after the spill began. The Coast Guard said the cause still was unclear.
New Jersey Environmental Protection Commissioner Bradley M. Campbell said that while the oily muck was concentrated within a few miles of Paulsboro, across the river from Philadelphia International Airport, an oily sheen could be seen along about 40 miles of the river.
The Army Corps of Engineers completed a sonar survey without finding anything threatening to a tanker, Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Patrick Montgomery said. He also said there was no evidence of a navigation error that might have led the Athos into shallow waters or caused it to bump against something on shore.
In some spots, the odor of the oil was powerful; elsewhere, the river smelled like the lemon-scented detergent that some 600 workers are using for the cleanup.
The Philadelphia region is among the nation's largest port areas. By Tuesday, after days of being halted, some cargo ships were being allowed to traverse oil-laden areas.
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Associated Press Writers David B. Caruso and Randy Pennell in Philadelphia contributed to this report.
11/30/04 22:34 EST
Copyright 2004 The Associated Press.
By GEOFF MULVIHILL, AP
PAULSBORO, N.J. (Nov. 30) - The Coast Guard said Tuesday that investigators believe much more oil spilled from a ruptured tanker in the Delaware River near Philadelphia than the 30,000 gallons initially reported.
Coast Guard Lt. Buddy Dye said 473,500 gallons from the tanker Athos I are unaccounted for, but called a leak of that size a "worst-case scenario.''
The worst oil spill in the river's history occurred in 1989, when a tanker ran aground near Claymont, Del., spilling 300,000 gallons.
Dye said it could take four or five days for investigators to probe the vessel to determine how much oil actually escaped through a gash discovered Saturday, a day after the spill began. The Coast Guard said the cause still was unclear.
New Jersey Environmental Protection Commissioner Bradley M. Campbell said that while the oily muck was concentrated within a few miles of Paulsboro, across the river from Philadelphia International Airport, an oily sheen could be seen along about 40 miles of the river.
The Army Corps of Engineers completed a sonar survey without finding anything threatening to a tanker, Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Patrick Montgomery said. He also said there was no evidence of a navigation error that might have led the Athos into shallow waters or caused it to bump against something on shore.
In some spots, the odor of the oil was powerful; elsewhere, the river smelled like the lemon-scented detergent that some 600 workers are using for the cleanup.
The Philadelphia region is among the nation's largest port areas. By Tuesday, after days of being halted, some cargo ships were being allowed to traverse oil-laden areas.
----------
Associated Press Writers David B. Caruso and Randy Pennell in Philadelphia contributed to this report.
11/30/04 22:34 EST
Copyright 2004 The Associated Press.
12-01-2004 | 06:19 AM
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From: pitman nj
Re: Delaware Oil Spill Could be Worse Than Thought
I like the one report about the search of the bottom for what could have caused the gash as the tanker docked. The Army Corps of Engineers said it couldn't have been the 23 foot diameter propeller they lost off one of the their own ships in that vicinity 
Hmmmmm?
Hmmmmm?
12-01-2004 | 07:25 AM
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From: Pennsville NJ.
Re: Delaware Oil Spill Could be Worse Than Thought
I work at a power plant about 15mi down stream and the oil slick is at our plant, What a ugly site.
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12-01-2004 | 07:41 AM
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From: spring valley,ny usa
Re: Delaware Oil Spill Could be Worse Than Thought
You're just depressed because the spill is in your boating area and is moving faster than your boat. I guess PROZAC and suspension of my picking on BOB for while will help. 
Last edited by sy goldberg; 12-01-2004 at 11:40 AM. Reason: BAJABOB NAME IS MISSING
12-01-2004 | 07:58 AM
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Re: Delaware Oil Spill Could be Worse Than Thought
Originally Posted by mopower
I like the one report about the search of the bottom for what could have caused the gash as the tanker docked. The Army Corps of Engineers said it couldn't have been the 23 foot diameter propeller they lost off one of the their own ships in that vicinity Hmmmmm?
Hmmmmm?
that wouldn't leave a gash would it?
12-01-2004 | 08:12 AM
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From: pitman nj
Re: Delaware Oil Spill Could be Worse Than Thought
Originally Posted by Sean H
that wouldn't leave a gash would it? Seem totally possible to me. But if it's true , who's liable then? Bet that's covered up better than Kennedy/Oswald
12-01-2004 | 05:39 PM
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From: Pennsville NJ.
Re: Delaware Oil Spill Could be Worse Than Thought
Originally Posted by sy goldberg
You're just depressed because the spill is in your boating area and is moving faster than your boat. I guess PROZAC and suspension of my picking on BOB for while will help.
get back in your hole
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12-03-2004 | 08:23 PM
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Re: Delaware Oil Spill Could be Worse Than Thought
Ship's Owners Agree to Pay for Spill Cleanup
by KYW's David Madden
Almost a week after the Greek oil tanker "Athos I" leaked thousands of gallons of fuel oil into the Delaware River, the spill continues to spread and the cleanup gets larger.
About 70 miles of shoreline have been soiled, and the slick extends from the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge to Pea Patch Island below the Delaware Memorial Bridge -- a 55-mile stretch.
New Jersey environmental protection commissioner Bradley Campbell says more booms are going up, but those measures only go so far:
"There are a number of areas that really aren’t capable of being boomed effectively, particularly some of the tidal marsh areas that we know are used extensively by waterfowl."
There are now more than 1,000 people involved in the cleanup and recovery effort, and they’re likely to be working for weeks or months.
Reporters pressed Coast Guard lieutenant Buddy Dye to pinpoint the severity of the spill:
"Thirty thousand (gallons) was initially released. I’m confident that that number was probably low. It could be significantly low, and it could go as high as 473,500 gallons. That’s worst-case scenario, and we don’t expect it to be that. That’s the best I’m going to give you on that topic."
So the cost is going up and there could well be a battle over who foots the bill.
For now, the ship’s managers in Athens are stepping up to the plate, according to their spokesman, Mike Hanson:
"They spilled the oil. They will take that responsibility, complete the cleanup. After that, we’ll let the insurance companies fight it out."
As for how the ship got two gashes in her hull, the Coast Guard is still looking into that -- including the possibility that an 11-ton propeller missing from an Army dredge ship might be responsible.
by KYW's David Madden
Almost a week after the Greek oil tanker "Athos I" leaked thousands of gallons of fuel oil into the Delaware River, the spill continues to spread and the cleanup gets larger.
About 70 miles of shoreline have been soiled, and the slick extends from the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge to Pea Patch Island below the Delaware Memorial Bridge -- a 55-mile stretch.
New Jersey environmental protection commissioner Bradley Campbell says more booms are going up, but those measures only go so far:
"There are a number of areas that really aren’t capable of being boomed effectively, particularly some of the tidal marsh areas that we know are used extensively by waterfowl."
There are now more than 1,000 people involved in the cleanup and recovery effort, and they’re likely to be working for weeks or months.
Reporters pressed Coast Guard lieutenant Buddy Dye to pinpoint the severity of the spill:
"Thirty thousand (gallons) was initially released. I’m confident that that number was probably low. It could be significantly low, and it could go as high as 473,500 gallons. That’s worst-case scenario, and we don’t expect it to be that. That’s the best I’m going to give you on that topic."
So the cost is going up and there could well be a battle over who foots the bill.
For now, the ship’s managers in Athens are stepping up to the plate, according to their spokesman, Mike Hanson:
"They spilled the oil. They will take that responsibility, complete the cleanup. After that, we’ll let the insurance companies fight it out."
As for how the ship got two gashes in her hull, the Coast Guard is still looking into that -- including the possibility that an 11-ton propeller missing from an Army dredge ship might be responsible.
