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Gypsy Queen Oil Spill

All POL/SITREP's for this site Gypsy Queen Oil Spill
Everett, WA - EPA Region X
POLREP #3 		Printer Friendly  |   PDF
 
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
Gypsy Queen Oil Spill - Removal Polrep
Final Removal Polrep

EPA Emergency Response

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region X
Subject: POLREP #3
Gypsy Queen Oil Spill

Everett, WA
Latitude: 47.9877390 Longitude: -122.1555880

To:
From: Andy Smith, OSC
Date: 1/6/2012
Reporting Period:

1. Introduction
  1.1 Background
   
Site Number:      Contract Number:  
D.O. Number:      Action Memo Date:  
Response Authority: OPA    Response Type: Emergency
Response Lead: EPA    Incident Category: Removal Assessment
NPL Status: Non NPL    Operable Unit:
Mobilization Date: 12/24/2011    Start Date: 12/24/2011
Demob Date:      Completion Date: 1/6/2012
CERCLIS ID:    RCRIS ID:
ERNS No.:    State Notification: 12/24/2011
FPN#: E12005    Reimbursable Account #:

1.1.1 Incident Category

Oil Spill

1.1.2 Site Description

Sunken 93 foot pleasure craft moored at the location of the address as indicated.

1.1.2.1 Location

5501 12th Street SE, Everett, WA  99201    

1.1.2.2 Description of Threat

At 1717 PST on 12/24/2011, a 93 foot pleasure craft (Gypsy Queen) sunk in Steamboat Slough, a fork of the Snohomish River. At the time of the reporting, a light sheen of diesel fuel was seen discharging from the vessel, but appears to have stopped at this time. With high tide estimated to occur at 2100 PST on 12/24/2011, the development of a tactical plan, by the Washington State Department of Ecology, for conducting an pollution assessment and source removal, will be finalized at a later time.

1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results

At 2000 PST on 12/24/2011, an updated situation report was sent by Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) responders to EPA Region 10.  The pleasure craft (Gypsy Queen) was confirmed to be 93 feet in length and it is suspected to have very little oil or hazmat product on-board as all three engines have been removed from the vessel. Ecology responders believe that the vessel was towed to the current location.
2. Current Activities
  2.1 Operations Section
    2.1.1 Narrative

Washington State Department of Ecology responders (Shannon Cline and Buck Smith) are responding to the sunken vessel and will be overseeing an assessment conducted by Global Diving and Salvage.

2.1.2 Response Actions to Date

An assessment to determine the potential pollution threat left onboard the sunken vessel will be conducted by Washington State Department of Ecology responders.
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POLREP #2
Dec 27 - Ecology and Global Diving (Kris Lindberg, project supervisor) went to the Gypsy Queen at 1 PM to assess extent of fuel in tanks.  The vessel is leaking, and creating a light sheen.  Absorbents inside the hard boom seem to be collecting product.  On the night of December 24th when they first responded the tide was out and the thought was that the Gypsy Queen might be heavy enough to stay hard-aground at high tide, This is not the case.  With high tide the vessel is floating and has moved several feet away from shore.  The nearby docks are felt to be untrustworthy, so the vessel cannot be tied up to prevent it from moving out into the channel.  The instability and severe list of this vessel also means no one can safely enter the engine compartment where the day tank is located and where recoverable oil is appearing.  The regular tanks cannot be accurately tested for product because of the list to starboard.

Global, was tasked to estimate the cost for raising the starboard side, stabilizing the vessel to shore, and removing all products from the vessel (which include the contaminated water inside the engine room).

Dec 27 - The OSC increased the OSLTF ceiling for this CANAPS project to $10,000,  The ceiling will likely need to be increased again based on final decisions on how to proceed.

Dec 28 - The PRFA was made final and sent to Ecology and NPFC.  Shannon Cline with Ecology has been designated as the FOSC's On-Scene Representative as authorized under the National Contingency Plan at 40 CFR 300.135(d).  The FOSC will monitor the response through the On-Scene Representative.

At COB Global estimated the cost at $22,000 requiring four days.  This task is labor intensive, involves diving, and would require four days.

Ecology has been in contact with Steve Fraidenburg, Department of Natural Resources (DNR) the agency that has authority for abandoned vessels.  DNR was previously aware of the vessel and would be involved with removing the vessel from the water all-together.

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Final PolRep

EPA Dive Team provided comments on dive plan as recommended in EPA Dive Plan Policy.

Efforts to raise the vessel on Wednesday (1/4/12) was stymied by the large amount of debris on board.  The PRP suffered from a hoarding complex and the large amount of items he had accumulated were underwater blocking access to the bilge and below deck spaces.  Global Diving Services (GDS) had windows of opportunity to pump that depended on low tides.  

Removal costs increased, since GDS needed to bring in the Prudoh Bay a larger vessel than originally planned.
GDS changed tactics and brought in an additional 6” trash pump to compensate for the limited access and need to move a large amount of water and maximize the tide window.  The revised plan was successful and the vessel was floated on Friday (1/6/12)  It has been moved to a more secure portion of the moorage on the property.  Materials were transferred from the vessel onto the deck of the Prudhoe Bay and the debris will be unloaded for final disposal in Seattle.

Preliminary information on material recovered consist of  20 to 30  fuel cans, several batteries, fire extinguishers, paint, containers of oil,etc. Approximately 250 gallons of diesel fuel was removed from the center fuel tank and oily water was removed from the bilges.

The port and starboard tanks only had water. The center tank (size unknown) contained 3 - 5 inches of diesel.. The day tank was pumped off the night of 1/5/12 and the heating tank was emptied as well.

At 1530 on Friday (1/6/12) Washington Dept. of Ecology deemed the pollution response completed and handed responsibility of the vessel over to the Dept. of Natural Resources. Global maintained two crewmen on watch to monitor the leak forward and maintain the pump.

The PRUDHOE BAY departed Everett and returned to her berth in Seattle. Demobilization of the gear and disposal of the HAZMAT is scheduled for Monday morning.. A detailed inventory of the recovered HAZMAT will be completed at that time.

 



2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)

Unknown at this time, but Washington State Department of Ecology responders may be able to provide the information.



2.1.4 Progress Metrics

Waste Stream Medium Quantity Manifest # Treatment Disposal
           
           
           


  2.2 Planning Section
    2.2.1 Anticipated Activities

A complete assessment of the sunken vessel is expected to occur on 12/25/2011.

2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities

Once an assessment is complete, response and removal activities will be determined.  It appears that, as of 2200 PST on 12/24/2011, that the diesel sheen that was once seen has stopped.

2.2.1.2 Next Steps

POLREP #2
January 3rd Global Diving will begin operations to stabalize and right the vessel.  Then vessel will be assessed for fuel.  Any fuel on board will be romoved as well as oily waters.

Handoff will be made to the DNR who will contiue with Global Diving to make the vessel seaworthy for towing to Port Townsend, WA.

The OSLTF CANAPS funding ceiling will be raised.

2.2.2 Issues

Given that the vessel has sunk and is currently listing, it may be difficult to conduct a complete assessment.  Once Washington State Department of Ecology responders can complete their assessment, a better operational picture can be developed.

POLREP #2
No issues at this time

POLREP #3 (Final)
No issues.
  2.3 Logistics Section
    N/A
  2.4 Finance Section
    No information available at this time.
  2.5 Other Command Staff
    2.5.1 Safety Officer

N/A

2.5.2 Liaison Officer

N/A

2.5.3 Information Officer

A press release was issued by the Washington State Department of Ecology.  A copied was received by EPA Region 10.
3. Participating Entities
  3.1 Unified Command

Washington State Department of Ecology is currently working in single Incident Command with consultation and support by EPA Region 10.

3.2 Cooperating Agencies

NOAA Hazmat, Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound, and US Department of Interior all have been notified and provided support and/or information to assist with this response.
4. Personnel On Site
  None
5. Definition of Terms
  No information available at this time.
6. Additional sources of information
  No information available at this time.
7. Situational Reference Materials
  No information available at this time.