FOLLOWUP: State announces fine for Duwamish River diesel spill


(U.S. Coast Guard photo, February 2017)

The state has announced a fine for a diesel spill that followed a tugboat incident in our area one year ago. Here’s the Ecology Department news release:

The Washington Department of Ecology has fined Island Tug and Barge $8,000 for a spill of diesel fuel into the Duwamish River on Feb. 28, 2017. The penalty cites the company for the spill itself and for not making immediate notifications, as required by state law.

The company’s tug Island Wind struck a barge in the West Waterway of the Duwamish on that date, , breaching its hull and a fuel tank, spilling approximately 1,340 gallons of diesel. The company and its contractor, Global Diving and Salvage, mounted a prompt response and recovered 1,273 gallons of the spill. Small, unrecoverable sheens escaped into Elliott Bay.

The notification to the state occurred more than 90 minutes after the incident. Oil spills to water must be immediately reported to the Washington Emergency Management Division and the National Response Center. See Ecology’s website for details.

In addition to the penalty, Ecology is billing Island Tug and Barge $3,000 to recover the state’s costs to oversee the response.

The company also faces, under state law, a Resource Damage Assessment for harm caused to public resources. Compensation could include a restoration and enhancement project or study, or the spiller may be assessed a monetary amount, to be paid into a state fund that issues grants to local governments for environmental restoration projects.

3 Replies to "FOLLOWUP: State announces fine for Duwamish River diesel spill"

  • Pilsner February 16, 2018 (8:08 pm)

    I dont consider 100 gallons a problem at all. I would be willing to bet that much is collectively released every week from all the heavy industry companies along the duwamish. Has anyone been in the Seattle Iron & Metal yard? That whole place is an oil slick. Its just the way it is.

    And how much oil/diesel leaks from the WSF fleet? The state is no saint themselves.

  • Ed February 16, 2018 (8:09 pm)

    $44/gallon what a steal!

  • Ed February 16, 2018 (8:15 pm)

    Sorry 164/ga!

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