CG keeping watch on San Francisco oil spill

[unhappycamper]

CG keeping watch on San Francisco oil spill
By Scott Lindlaw - The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Nov 8, 2007 16:03:27 EST

SAN FRANCISCO — Oil that leaked from a cargo ship after it bumped the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge has closed five beaches and is washing up as far as 40 miles north of San Francisco, the Coast Guard said Thursday.

About 58,000 gallons of oil spilled from the ship when it struck a tower supporting the bridge Wednesday morning. The accident caused no structural damage to the span, officials said, but vessel’s hull suffered a large gash. The ship has since anchored in the bay.

“By our guidelines, it is a medium-sized spill. But in the San Francisco Bay Area, that is a big deal,” said Coast Guard Capt. William Uberti, captain of the Port of San Francisco and the chief federal officer investigating the accident.

Crews in helicopters were surveying the damage, and skimmers were sucking up the oil on the bay and ocean. Teams were also walking the shoreline scooping up the oil, authorities said.

Scientists were assessing the best cleanup techniques and the environmental impact. A small number of birds have been spotted coated in oil.

The pilot of the ship was being interviewed by Coast Guard authorities. If he’s determined to have acted negligently or recklessly, he could lose his state’s pilot license.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2007/11/ap_oilspill_071108/