Environmental Contaminants Program
U S Fish and Wildlife Service

Featured Topics:
Available Publications:
Thumbnail image of the cosco busan oil spill fact sheet
Cosco Busan Oil Spill fact sheet (12/13/2007) (2MB pdf)
Spill Response fact sheet thumbnail image
Spill Response - Environmental Response and Restoration Branch (pdf)
Fish and Wildlife Service's Updated Oil Spill Contingency Plan

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Migratory Bird Care  
During Oil Spill  
Response:  
Cover Memo,and  
Final Document (4MB pdf)  

Oil Spill Preparation and Response

The challenge of managing oil spills in the United States is increasing in complexity and magnitude. Oil spills threaten millions of miles of coastline, river systems, lakes and terrestrial habitat daily, particularly where there is extensive oil drilling, refining, and transport. Serious, and potentially permanent, ecological damage is possible where chronic spills or spills of national significance occur. The goal of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Oil Spill Program is to emphasize early (contingency) planning and cooperation at the local, regional and national level in an effort to minimize the injury to fish, wildlife, and sensitive environments from oil spills.The Departments of the Interior, Commerce and Agriculture, together with Tribal governments, States, and other jurisdictions, are responsible for protecting these natural resources. Because oil spills respect no boundaries, uniform Federal policies and programs are essential. In addition, since the resources necessary to respond to oil spills are limited and vary among the response agencies, it is more important than ever to establish and strengthen cooperative relationships.

Some additional information published on the Oil Spill Program include: Oil and Nature (pdf), Oil Spills and the Public (pdf), The Service at Coastal Oil Spills (pdf).


Recent Spills of National Interest:

New Orleans, Louisiana Oil Spill (Tanker Tintomara Collision with Barge DM932) Response Site

Screen shot of wildlife rescue video
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New Orleans, Louisiana Oil Spill Wildlife Rescue Video. Video Compilation Credit: Buddy Goatcher and Anthony Valesco/USFWS

On July 23, 2008, a major release of #6 fuel oil occurred in the Mississippi River, in New Orleans, Louisiana.  More than 9,000 barrels of oil were released.  The release necessitated the closure of more than 80 miles of river to commercial shipping and recreational boating.  The river, shorelines, and adjacent wetlands were impacted in much of the area.  This incident represents a significant threat to fish, wildlife, and habitat quality.  U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Environmental Contaminants Program and National Wildlife Refuge System personnel have responded to the incident.
 

Cosco Busan, San Francisco, California:

Oil booms line Rode0 Beach in San Francisco, California.
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San Francisco - Oil booms line a San Francisco, California, beach. November 9, 2007. The beach was closed after oil spilled fram a South Korea-bound container ship after it struck a tower supporting the San Francsico-Oakland Bay Bridge in dense fog. Credit: Desmond Thorsson/U.S. Coast Guard Auxillary.
On November 7, 2007 the cargo vessel Cosco Busan hit the San Francisco Bay Bridge in heavy fog.  The impact ruptured the hull (~100 ft x 12 ft and 4 ft deep) and spilled approximately 58,000 gallons of medium grade fuel oil.  Most of the oil has spread to central San Francisco Bay and outer coast (North and South of the Golden Gate Bridge).  The spill is did not make contact with San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex (NWRC) lands in the South Bay or offshore at the Farallon Islands, although oiled birds were found at all of the refuges.

Staff from the Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office, San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex, California-Nevada Operations Office, Portland Regional Office, San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex, and Burlingame Law Enforcement Office assisted with spill response and natural resource damage assessment at various times.

As of 5 p.m. Dec. 6, 2007, information about the clean-up was as follows:

  • Total personnel employed: 440
  • Total gallons discharged:  Approximately 58,000
  • Total birds captured:  1,063
  • Total birds cleaned:  783
  • Total birds released:  347
  • Total birds died in facility:  618
  • Total birds dead on arrival:  1,759
  • Remaining feet of boom laid out: 1,800
  • Federally-listed endangered or threatened species injured or killed include:

The Cosco Busan incident is similar to a spill that occurred 11 years ago.  On October 28, 1996, the Cape Mohican spilled approximately 40,000 gallons of Intermediate Fuel Oil very near the site of the current spill. According to Service employees who responded during both spills, the “behavior” of the Cosco Busan spill is very similar to the previous spill which has helped Contaminants and Refuge staff in planning their response and assessment actions.

Fact Sheets:
    Cosco Busan Oil Spill (2MB pdf)
    Spill Response - Environmental Response and Restoration Branch (1MB pdf)
    Oil Spills and the Public (pdf)
    Oil and Nature (pdf)
    The Service at Coastal Oil Spills (pdf)

Images From the Spill

USCG Oil Spill Slide Show

Cosco Busan Unified Command Oil Spill Response Site provides a list of closed beaches as well as beaches where the public can assist in cleanup efforts without hazardous material training.

California Department of Fish and Game - Spills and Events: COSCO BUSAN Spill

National Park Service, Golden Gate National Park - Oil Spill in San Francisco Bay

U.S. Coast Guard - Effects of Oil on Wildlife Resources

 

Links:The National Response Center (Federal contact for reporting oil and chemical spills) - http://www.nrc.uscg.mil/nrchp.html

Department of the Interior, Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance, DOI Emergency Preparedness and Response Strategy: Oil Discharges and Hazardous Substances Releases - http://www.doi.gov/oepc/emerprep.html

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Restoration Web Site
http://www.dnr.state.ak.us/commis/evos.htm

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Restoration Plan
http://www.evostc.state.ak.us/Policies/restplan.cfm

North Cape (Rhode Island) Oil Spill Restoration - http://www.fws.gov/contaminants/restorationplans/NorthCape/NorthCape.cfm

The Tenyo Maru Oil Spill Natural Resource Trustees
Tenyo Maru oil spill Restoration Plan

U.S. Coast Guard: Marine Safety and Environmental Protection Response Information - http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/nmc/response/index.htm

Environmental Protection Agency: Oil Spill Program - http://www.epa.gov/oilspill/

National Response Team: Ensuring Effective National Oil and Hazardous Substance Preparedness and Response - http://www.nrt.org/

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: Office of Response and Restoration - http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/index.html

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: Damage Assessment and Restoration Program
- Chalk Point/Swanson Creek Oil Spill, Maryland
- Tenyo Maru Oil Spill, Washington
- Apex Houston Oil Spill, California
- Chevron Pipeline Oil Spill, Hawaii
- Tesoro Oil Spill, Hawaii
- Apex Galveston Oil Spill, Texas
- North Cape Oil Spill, Rhode Island
- M/V Kuroshima Oil Spil Restoration Plan


Last Updated: December 2, 2008