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Atlantic Strike Team News

09 Jun 2022

US Oil Spill Testing, Response Facility Gets Major Upgrade

A crane replaces a bridge over the Ohmsett Oil Spill Response & Renewable Energy Test facility during refurbishment in spring 2022. (Photo: BSEE)

The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement’s National Oil Spill Response Research and Renewable Energy Test Facility, known as Ohmsett, has now reopened after undergoing significant refurbishment over the past eight months as part of BSEE’s ongoing maintenance plan. Originally constructed and operated by the U.S. EPA in 1974, the facility was passed to the U.S. Navy and then to the Department of the Interior’s Minerals Management Service in 1990. Today, it is the only facility in the U.S. conducting full-scale oil spill response research, equipment testing and training using live oil.

29 Apr 2019

RMG to Assess Ship Wreck Leaking Oil Off NY

The U.S. Coast Guard has contracted Resolve Marine Group to conduct a full assessment of oil remaining on the Coimbra wreck, located approximately 30 miles southeast of Shinnecock, N.Y. If substantial oil still remains, and if feasible, the Coast Guard will work with Resolve Marine Group to remove oil from the wreck in order to reduce pollution risks to the environment.The operation is scheduled to take place from April 28th to May 30th. The initial evaluation will assess the condition of the tanker and what potential environmental impact still exists. Based on the assessment, possible oil removal operations will take place.During the operation…

01 Apr 2019

USCG Warns of Tar Balls, Oil Sheen Off Rockaways

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) is warning people in the waters off the Rockaways to stay away from any tar balls or oil sheens they might see and is investigating to see if they're related to an oil leak from a vessel a few days ago.USCG, along with partner agencies, are responding to reports of oil sheen and tar balls, on the ocean side of Coney Island and Long Island, from Norton Point to Atlantic Beach.Members of the Unified Command for Goethals Oil Spill continue responding to a report of sheening and tar balls received Saturday from New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYDEC).During shoreline assessments conducted Sunday afternoon…

06 Apr 2018

Response to Mackinac Spill Continues

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Ensign Pamela Manns

A U.S. Coast Guard marine science technician and an environmental quality analyst for Michigan's Department of Environmental Quality surveyed the Straits of Mackinac onboard a vessel Thursday. The responders did not identify any mineral oil sheens, signs of pollution, or adverse impacts to the environment or wildlife. Earlier this week, hundreds of gallons of mineral oil has been released from a leaking underwater utility line in Michigan’s Straits of Mackinac. Members of the U.S.

27 Oct 2015

Update: Crews Examining Discharge from Sunken Barge

Discoloration on Lake Erie from an unknown source as seen from the air from an overflight conducted by crews from Coast Guard Air Station Detroit, Oct. 24, 2015. The discoloration was believed to be emanating from a nearby sunken barge. (U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy of Marine Safety Unit Toledo)

Crews continue to investigate a reported discharge of an unknown substance from the site of a sunken barge near Kelley's Island Shoal in Lake Erie, Monday. The Unified Command, consisting of the U.S. Coast Guard and the Ohio EPA, is continuing to take all necessary actions to ensure the safety of the public and the environment, the U.S. Coast Guard said in a press release. At 9:30 a.m., members of the Coast Guard Atlantic Strike Team and a crew from Coast Guard Station Marblehead…

26 Oct 2015

USCG Investigating Unknown Substance in Lake Erie

The Coast Guard is responding to a report of a discharge of an unknown substance from the site of a sunken barge near Kelley's Island Shoal in Lake Erie, Sunday. Due to the report, the Coast Guard has established a safety zone 3 nautical miles east of Kelley's Island Shoal extending 1,000 feet around position 41-38'21"N, 082-29'35"W. Friday evening crews at Marine Safety Unit Toledo, Ohio, received a report from the Cleveland Underwater Explorers, of a leak of an unknown substance emanating from the barge and an odor of solvent, but they did not observe the leak underwater. CLUE divers were investigating the wreck to determine if it was the barge Argo which sank during a storm in 1937.

04 Feb 2014

Securing Super Bowl XLVIII

A Coast Guard maritime safety and security team patrols the Hudson River. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Michael Himes.

New York-based Coast Guard units are no strangers when it comes to assisting with large-scale events in the area, but for the first time in history, area crews put in a team effort alongside local New York and New Jersey authorities to safeguard a Super Bowl event. Having provided security for the United Nations General Assembly, Macy’s Fourth of July Firework display, Fleet Week and the NYC Marathon in previous years, the opportunity for the Coast Guard’s assets to assist with Super Bowl XLVIII was also a success. “We’re here to protect our citizens,” said Lt. Cmdr. Luis E.

10 Sep 2013

Industry, Government Collaborate on Long Island Sound Casualty Simulation

On September 17, McAllister Towing and Reinauer Transportation will be partnering with the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound and Sector New York in a major simulated marine accident and pollution incident on the waters of Long Island Sound. Responders will be faced with a simulated grounding and subsequent oil spill impacting the waters and shoreline of Connecticut and New York. The exercise is part of the National Preparedness for Response Exercise Program (PREP), a voluntary program bringing together industry and government to meet the exercise and preparedness requirements of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, legislation enacted following the Exxon Valdez.

24 Jan 2011

This Day in U.S. Coast Guard History – January 24

1968- Seifu Maru, a Japanese refrigerator vessel, reported a fire and requested clearance to enter Dutch Harbor, Alaska to combat it. They also reported that two crewmembers had been overcome by smoke and requested their evacuation for hospital treatment. Clearance was granted and CGC Citrus was ordered to proceed and assist in fighting the fire. The burning ship arrived in Dutch Harbor on Jan 24 and advised that the fire was raging between the decks. Fire fighting parties from Citrus began assisting the crew of the Japanese vessel. USCG aircraft evacuated three patients from Seifu Maru to Kodiak for hospitalization. The fire assistance rendered by Citrus in a four-day operation saved the Japanese vessel.

13 Jan 2011

This Day in U.S. Coast Guard History – January 13

1853- The ship Cornelius Grinnell grounded in a heavy surf off Squan Beach New Jersey. A surf car was used to rescue all 234 persons on board. 1925- Alaskan Game Law enforced by Coast Guard. 1918-Surfmen from the Humboldt Bay Lifesaving Station rescued the 430-man crew of the Navy cruiser USS Milwaukee after the cruiser ran aground. 1982- Air Florida Flight 90 crashed onto the 14th Street Bridge and then into the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., during a heavy snow storm. Coast Guard units, including the cutters Capstan and Madrona, divers from the Atlantic Strike Team, a helicopter from AIRSTA Elizabeth City, personnel from Curtis Bay, and reservists from Station Washington, assisted in the rescue of the five surviving passengers and the recovery of the aircraft's wreckage.

15 Oct 2010

This Day in Coast Guard History – October 15

1846-USRC McLane ran aground while attempting to cross the bar of the River Alvarado during the Mexican War. 2001- On October 15, 2001, President George W. Bush announced that a letter sent to Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle had anthrax in it. This followed a number of other anthrax attacks in Florida and New York. The EPA requested Coast Guard assistance. Members of the Atlantic Strike Team deployed to Washington, D.C., while Gulf Strike Team members were deployed to Florida. Strike team members conducted entries into the affected areas, collected samples, and assisted in the cleanup of those areas. The AST members in Washington coordinated entries into the U.S. Capitol, Hart Senate Building, the U.S. Supreme Court, and the Government Printing Office, among others.

18 Feb 2010

Implosion on Ship, Gravesend Bay N.Y.

A concerted response by a member of the American Salvage Association (ASA), technical experts from the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and New York City Fire Department (FDNY) averted the risk of a toxic material release from a chemical carrier anchored in Gravesend Bay near Brooklyn, N.Y. during the week of Feb. During operations with a barge alongside to transfer ethanol cargo, the 443-ft chemical carrier Sichem Defiance sustained an implosion on board. The main deck over a cargo tank collapsed and adjacent bulkheads were breeched. The ship’s cargo consisted of benzene LAB and ethanol, a dangerously volatile liquid. Following the violent event, the ship’s captain immediately notified Federal and port authorities.

12 Jan 2010

This Day in Coast Guard History – Jan. 13

1853- The ship Cornelius Grinnell grounded in a heavy surf off Squan Beach New Jersey. A surf car was used to rescue all 234 persons on board. 1925- Alaskan Game Law enforced by Coast Guard. 1918-Surfmen from the Humboldt Bay Lifesaving Station rescued the 430-man crew of the Navy cruiser USS Milwaukee after the cruiser ran aground. 1982- Air Florida Flight 90 crashed onto the 14th Street Bridge and then into the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., during a heavy snow storm. Coast Guard units, including the cutters Capstan and Madrona, divers from the Atlantic Strike Team, a helicopter from AIRSTA Elizabeth City, personnel from Curtis Bay, and reservists from Station Washington, assisted in the rescue of the five surviving passengers and the recovery of the aircraft's wreckage.

16 Nov 2009

Salvage Company to Move Grounded Barge

The 580-ft barge La Princesa remains aground north of Sandbridge Pier in Virginia Beach. Titan Maritime, LLC, continues preparations for salvaging the vessel and will attempt to begin operations when weather and sea conditions permit. Members of the Coast Guard’s Atlantic Strike Team, the Virginia Port Authority’s Maritime Incident Response Team, the Virginia Beach Fire Department’s Hazardous Materials Team and Crowley Maritime Corporation, the barge’s owner and operator, boarded the vessel earlier today to inspect the cargo for leaks and the vessel for structural integrity. As a result of the inspection, the Coast Guard, MIRT, the Virginia Beach HazMat team and Crowley determined that the barge and its cargo currently pose no foreseeable threat to the environment or to the community.

14 Oct 2009

This Day in Coast Guard History – Oct. 15

1846-USRC McLane ran aground while attempting to cross the bar of the River Alvarado during the Mexican War. 2001- On October 15, 2001, President George W. Bush announced that a letter sent to Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle had anthrax in it. This followed a number of other anthrax attacks in Florida and New York. The EPA requested Coast Guard assistance. Members of the Atlantic Strike Team deployed to Washington, D.C., while Gulf Strike Team members were deployed to Florida. Strike team members conducted entries into the affected areas, collected samples, and assisted in the cleanup of those areas. The AST members in Washington coordinated entries into the U.S. Capitol, Hart Senate Building, the U.S. Supreme Court, and the Government Printing Office, among others.

25 Jun 2008

Coast Guard to Deploy VOSS

The U.S. Coast Guard is exercising their pollution response capabilities by deploying a Vessel of Opportunity Skimming System (VOSS) from the Coast Guard Cutter Katherine Walker, a 175-ft. Keeper class buoy tender home ported in , , in Thursday, June 26, 2008. Media are invited to observe the exercise from aboard the Katherine Walker or the Coast Guard Cutter Sturgeon Bay, a 140-ft. Bay-class ice breaking cutter home ported in Bayonne, N.J., also involved in the exercise. The will host high school students from the Science and Technology Preview summer camp, an environmental education program based in , for the event. After the deployment, the students will meet the cutter Katherine Walker crew in for a tour of the ship and the VOSS equipment.

09 Feb 2004

Inter-Agency Partners Begin Oil Spill Clean up Efforts

An unidentified source of heavy oil washed up on the shore Tuesday between Shark River Inlet, Monmouth County, and Seaside Heights, Ocean County, prompting the Coast Guard and other federal, state and local officials to begin clean-up efforts. Coast Guard Marine Safety Office/Group Philadelphia along with the Coast Guard Atlantic Strike Team, N.J. Department of Environmental protection, Bradley, Neptune, Asbury Park and Avon Offices of Emergency Response, New Jersey State Police, Tri-State Bird Rescue, and numerous other groups are currently responding to the spill that spans the 12-mile stretch of shoreline. The spill was reported Tuesday afternoon by New Jersey State Police.

04 Mar 2002

Salvage Plan Considered For Elk River Tug

The Coast Guard, in conjunction with the Army Corps of Engineers and the Navy's Supervisor of Salvage, is reviewing a plan submitted by the owners and contracted salvors of a sunken tug and a barge impeding vessel traffic in the Elk River in the Upper Chesapeake Bay. The tug and barge, which sank in the shipping channel following a collision with a freighter, have caused the adjacent C&D Canal to remain closed to all vessel traffic pending their safe removal. Four men remain missing following the incident. The salvage plan, submitted by Norfolk Dredging Marine, the sunken tug Swift's owners, and Ellsworth Salvage, the contractor, must adequately address a number of safety, environmental, and navigational considerations in order to receive the agencies' authorization to begin operations.

23 Apr 2007

Gulf, Atlantic Strike Teams Assist EPA at Contaminated Facility

One member from the Gulf Strike Team and one member from the Atlantic Strike Team deployed today to assist the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at a contaminated facility in Weogufka, Ala. The strike team members will assist as Federal On-Scene Coordinator Representatives, conduct site safety, monitor contractors, provide photo documentation and cost documentation for lead contaminated soil removal work at Performance Advantage Facility, Inc.

04 May 2007

Pacific, Atlantic Strike Teams Assist EPA with Cleanup

Members of the Coast Guard's Pacific and Atlantic Strike Teams are assisting the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at a contaminated soil cleanup and a hazardous materials cleanup. One member of the Atlantic Strike Team and one from the Pacific Strike Team deployed to the hazardous materials cleanup of an Orange, Calif., plating shop Sunday and are currently provide contractor monitoring, site safety and sampling support. A member of the Pacific Strike Team deployed to Gallup, N.M., Thursday, where a project is underway to clean up radium contaminated soil at the site of an old uranium mine. The Coast Guardsman is providing contractor monitoring and site safety support.

20 Aug 2007

Pacific, Atlantic Strike Teams Assist EPA at Former Mercury Mine Site

Members of the Pacific and Atlantic Strike Team deployed Sunday to assist the Environmental Protection Agency at a former mercury mine in Cottage Grove, Ore. The team members will provide federal on-scene presence, air monitoring, site safety, communications and cost documentation support.

27 Aug 2007

Atlantic Strike Team Assists EPA at Defunct Manufacturing Site

Two members of the Atlantic Strike Team deployed today to assist the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at a defunct manufacturing site in Cortland, N.Y. The strike team members will assist the EPA with health and safety oversight, contractor supervision and air quality monitoring at the Buckbee-Mears Company, which produced cathode ray technology for televisions and computers.

10 May 2005

Oil Spill in James River

Coast Guard Marine Safety Office Hampton Roads is responding to a report of a diesel fuel spill from the tank barge VB 53 on the upper James River below Richmond. The spill was reported to the Coast Guard National Response Center at 11:41 a.m. on Sunday, May 8, 2005. The barge was being pushed south on the James River in an area known as Kingsland Reach, about 2 miles northwest of the Interstate 295 bridge, when it sustained damage to two cargo tanks. The barge is presently aground and has a port list. The owners have submitted a lightering and salvage plan to the Coast Guard for approval. The amount of diesel fuel spilled has not been determined. The barge is surrounded by oil containment boom and other booms have been deployed upstream and downstream to limit the spread of the oil.