USCG responds to hydraulic oil spill in Womens Bay, Alaska

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) is responding to a report of a discharge of hydraulic oil from Coast Guard Cutter Spar Saturday in Womens Bay, Kodiak, Alaska.

Coast Guard Sector Anchorage Incident Management Division and Marine Safety Detachment (MSD) Kodiak personnel are monitoring the cleanup which has been contracted to Choctaw Defense Services (CDS). Personnel on scene deployed boom systems, absorbent pads, and a skimmer that is pumping to a vac truck.

Watchstanders at the Sector Anchorage Command Center received notification from the National Response Center at 9:40 a.m., that Cutter Spar reported a hydraulic oil discharge. The amount discharged is unknown at this time, but the tank involved has a maximum capacity of approximately 914 gallons.

The source of the discharge has been secured, and the cause is under investigation.

“Our primary focus is on mitigating potential impacts to the environment,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Joshua Thorne, a pollution responder from MSD Kodiak.