Oct. 10, 2002 — While some St. Croix residents welcomed the heavy rainfall Wednesday morning to fill their cisterns, it proved not a welcome visitor for the V.I. Water and Power Authority as it scrambled to clean up an oil slick that stretched across the Christiansted shoreline from Richmond to Gallows Bay.
Ira Bowry, plant operations manager, said a concrete-lined gut between the Authority's Richmond plant and the Ralph de Chabert Public Housing Community became clogged with debris from the run off caused by the heavy downpour which began about 9:20 a.m.
The trench, which was also overgrown with shrubbery, caused the rising water to overflow into the Authority's fuel oil separator, which is used to separate fuel oil from waste water, a byproduct of the plant's operations, and return the water to the sea. The flooding prohibited that separation process and deposited the oil along with the water out to the ocean.
Bowry said approximately 15 to 20 gallons of a combination of diesel and light six oil seeped into the shoreline which runs about one mile and a half from the Richmond plant to Fort Christian.
"We immediately deployed our own response team of 15 personnel," said Bowry who indicated that the problem became apparent around 10 a.m. "They are trained to manage spills. We will work until we get it cleaned up. We sent to get some lights."
Although no petroleum product was found at the lagoon precautionary measures were put in place to prohibit entry into the marine hatchery and recreational fishing area.
Across from Protestant Cay, also known as Hotel on the Cay, WAPA's response team, Coast Guard, National Response Corp and Department of Planning and Natural Resource employees worked into the night to contain and clean up the oil spill which was carried to the north by strong currents which shifted eastward by night fall.
The National Response Corp. is a contractor which specializes with ocean cleanups. They provide equipment, supervision and assistance to WAPA's First Strike Team from the Authority's maintenance department.
The clean-up process will include containment, clean up and then an overall investigation by company officials, DPNR and the Coast Guard, who becomes the lead agency in marine spills, to insure proper cleanup and protection of the marine environment.
In a Wednesday night radio interview, Dean Plaskett, commissioner of DPNR , said based on their preliminary report as to the cause of the spill and the effect to the environment, "no specific action will be taken." He said "WAPA consultants will remove the heavy oil."
"We are here to ensure the oil is cleaned up as soon as possible and ensure safety for the marine property and the community," said a Coast Guard employee from the Resident Inspections Office on Queen Street, Christiansted.
Bill Turner, director of the St. Croix Environmental Association could not be reached for comment on the impact on the surrounding marine life. Pelicans and seagulls could be seen frolicking around the shoreline, diving for their evening dinner or perched on a vessel unaffected by the buzzing of anxious clean up crews.
One shop keeper said as she locked up business for the night that the team went door to door asking merchants if their businesses, properties or vessels had been affected by the spill.
Over 50 vessels were moored in the Christiansted harbor. A boat-load of tourists arriving at the boardwalk after their Buck Island tour wondered what the clean-up efforts were about. It was apparent that Mile-Mark Charter’s glass bottom boat docked at the King’s Alley Wharf got a share of the oil slick. A dark brown line was affixed, like a bath tub ring, to the navy blue and white vessel's sides.
Merchants said the rapid response and cooperative efforts between various government agencies and private businesses seemed to lessen the potential damage to the areas marine life.
Seaborne Aviations Director of Safety flew over the area about noon to assess the extent of the oil slick. "This is a cooperative effort," said one employee. "We all can be affected by it."
Omer ErSelcuk, chief marketing officer, said Wednesday evening that the staff reported the strong smell of petroleum in the air Wednesday morning, so the airline staff did a safety check for diesel or jet fuel leakage but found nothing. "Our operations are sea-based. We make sure that we monitor it daily," he said.
As the sun set a rainbow-like film could be seen glistening on the surface. One Coast Guard employee who asked that his name not be mentioned said the oil slick remained on the surface as far as could be determined. Although the mile-and-a-half-long stretch was being monitored, only a few sections were actually affected by the spill and required cleaning.
"That rainbow color is the light oil that will burn off and evaporate," said an NRC employee. "That's why you smell it."
Into the night, NRC personnel patrolled the shoreline on foot. WAPA's 15-man fuel response team along with two shallow water boats and a water pump sprayed water in a sweeping motion to restrict the oil to the water's edge where the cleanup crew used rakes and pool cleaning nets to remove the sea grass and debris, then use oil absorption pads to soak up the oil while feet of white sponge-like booms contained the oil.
WAPA is asking anyone that has been affected by the spill to contact its environmental or legal departments at 774-3552.
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