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Site Description 2/16/2021 01 Background
On Wednesday Morning of February 10, 2021, a construction vessel with an excavator sank off the shoreline of Flathead Lake, in Montana. The vessel is leaking oil and a visible sheen on the lake was reported. The fuel tanks on board are believed to be intact and it was reported the sheen is being caused by a small fuel tank that was on board. The excavator is still attached to the barge and its’ fuel tank is reported to be intact. The fuel tanks on board have an estimated capacity of 250 gallons, but that information is unconfirmed. Current weather conditions, freezing with high winds, have caused vessel recovery to be difficult and unattainable until after the cold front has disappeared. The vessel owner has hired a contractor(s) to help salvage the vessel and excavator form the lake, there are no planned activities to conduct salvage work until Monday February 15, 2021. The initial plan by the vessel owner are to utilize air bags to help raise the vessel and pump off water from the barge simultaneously.
Initial Response 2/16/2021 01 Background
EPA Region 8 deployed a Federal On-Scene Coordinator (OSC) and the United States Coast Guard (USCG) to provide oversight, technical support and assessment of the sunken vessel. Both EPA and USCG arrived at the site on Monday February 15, 2021.
Response Objections 2/16/2021 02 Feb 15 to 18
Assess impacts of sunken vessel.
Provide assistance and oversight of salvage work.
Keep on-site personnel safe.
Keep stakeholders informed of response actions.
Response Operations 2/16/2021 02 Feb 15 to 18
EPA OSC and USCG arrived on-site Monday February 15, 2021 to meet with the vessel owner and salvage company. Weather conditions have not held favorably and ice has formed on the lake/around the vessel. After some time, crews were able to clear ice in order access the sunken vessel and deploy both absorbent boom and containment boom. In consultation with the EPA and USCG the salvage company placed floatation bags around the vessel to help float the vessel to a neutral buoyancy. Due to weather conditions and need for additional supplies salvaging operations where halted for the evening on February 16, 2021. At approximately 1900 on February 17, 2021, the flotation bags and simultaneous pumping were successful in raising the vessel. An assessment was done on February 18, 2021 to assess the impacts of the water from the sunken barge and it was determined that with minimal cleaning that little to no impacts will be seen long term. The RP will wait until the ice melts (expected to be 2/21 or 2/22) to finish cleaning the sheen off the water from within the boomed area.
Planned Activities 2/16/2021 02 Feb 15 to 18
Keep stakeholders informed of response actions. Continue/complete vessel salvage activities. Secure vessel. Demobilize EPA and USCG from site.
Safety Issues 2/17/2021 02 Feb 15 to 18
Winter weather conditions have been persistent, with winds, temperatures below freezing and snow fall have made work challenging. Crews have been instructed to watch for signs of cold stress and keep warm.
