On November 12, 2002 EPA was notified by the Seattle Police Department Harbor Patrol (SPDHP) of a partially submerged motor boat at the University of Washington Waterfront Activity Center (UWWAC) in Seattle, King County, WA. The boat was discovered on the morning of 11/12/02 during SPDHP patrols. The boat was lightly discharging fuel and motor oil into Lake Washington.
November 12, 2002 (Tuesday):
EPA mobilized the START-2 contractor, Ecology and Environment, Inc., to make an emergency response visit. EPA On-Scene Coordinator (OSC), Andy Smith, and two START personnel, David Cline and Renee Nordeen, arrived on-site at 1050 hours on November 12, 2002, and met with UWWAC volunteer Ross Flemming who had placed an absorbent boom around the submerged boat, Lady Lee (Registration number WN0923JC). The stern was labeled with Kona, Hawaii, the likely port of origination. The boat was about a 30-foot pleasure craft with an inboard engine.
According to telephone conversations with Officer Cannon at SPDHP, the boat was disabled the night before and was towed to the dock by a good samaritan. The driver of the boat, Cindy, left a note on the boat. The SPDHP discovered the boat the next morning still tied to the dock but with the stern submerged and resting on the lake bottom. SPDHP contacted Cindy by telephone who explained what had happen the night before. She further explained that she is not the owner of the boat. The owner is later discovered by the SPDHP to be Lissette Karns from the boat registration number. SPDHP informed EPA that the telephone number of Ms. Karns was no longer working.
OSC Smith directed START to perform a site investigation and photo-documentation to determine the area affected by the discharged fuel and oil. START also placed 6-inch absorbent boom around the boat and absorbent pads inside the boat to capture discharging product. Some plastic containers of motor oil floating in the boat were removed from the water.
Seattle Police Department Harbor Patrol (SPDHP) arrived on-site to discuss their actions taken and planned response activities. It was stated that they had no plans of removing the boat until the responsible party was contacted.
OSC Smith called Cindy and left a message in the late morning and in the early afternoon on an answering machine asking her to get in touch with him. Concern grew that no responsible party was coming forward and that fuel would continue leaking from the boat. The amount of fuel remaining was unknown.
EPA then contacted their ERRS contractor, Environmental Quality Management, Inc. (EQM), to assess the boat further for how much more fuel and oil may remain onboard. A decision would then need to be made as to whether the boat should be removed from the water. Global Diving and Salvage Inc., a subcontractor to EQM, arrived on site and assessed the situation. Using an underwater diver, Global representatives plugged vents on the leaking fuel tanks, removed two marine batteries, and all miscellaneous cleaners and boat care products. Their opinion was that very little, if any, fuel remained in the fuel tank since the boat was listed at such an angle that all fuel would have escaped out of an opening in the fuel tank. Thus, a decision was made not to remove the boat since it did not pose a significant threat to public health or the environment. Further attempts would be made to locate the responsible party.
OSC Smith requested that START return to the incident location on 11/13/02 to assess any changes to the site overnight. START took into their custody the boat cleaning products, oil, and other materials fished out of the boat.
November 13, 2002 (Wednesday):
START arrived on-site and discovered SPDHP preparing to raise the submerged boat using the winch systems on several patrol boats. This was surprising since the day before SPDHP had stated that they had no intention to remove the boat.
Upon inspection, all of the boom locations appeared intact and functioning properly.
START requested additional absorbent boom, which was used during the surfacing of the boat, due to about 1 quart of engine oil discharging during operations. SPDHP surfacing operations continued with pumping water out of the boat and performing an investigation to determine the cause of the incident.
At 1200 hours SPDHP completed salvaging operations, and stated that the boat was being taken to Donato's Boat Yard, located along the north side of Lake Union. The SPDHP placed the used absorbent booms and pads inside the vessel. SPDHP also stated that the boat appeared to have a leak in the back of the engine compartment.
Following the removal of the boat, START was directed by OSC Smith to perform a visual shoreline assessment for oil sheens and pooled petroleum product. This was followed by the removal of remaining booms and absorbent pads.
No removal actions are needed since the boat was raised and taken into custody by the SPDHP.
There are no further steps.
Ensure the absence of sheening and visible product from the water and shoreline surrounding the incident loction.
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