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Past Updates on the Bouchard No. 120 Oil Spill

April 2003 Buzzards Bay Oil Spill: Bouchard Oil Barge Bouchard No. 120

About the morning briefing notes: Immediately after the Bouchard No. 120 Command Center was established, oil spill cleanup status briefings were held several times daily. This later was reduced to morning and afternoon summary briefings. During May and June, the Buzzards Bay NEP attended most of the 8 AM brieifings. Beginning June 16, morning briefings were held only on Mondays and Thursdays at 9 AM. These briefing are held at the Incident Command Center, which is finally located at the Mattapoisett Fire Station. The Command Center was closed on August 29, 2003.

At the briefings, the Coast Guard, other state and federal personnel, and private contractors gave a brief summary of their activities and progress. Also in attendance is a representative of the citizen group, the Coalition for Buzzards Bay, and invariably some local officials including fire chiefs, town administrators, or other visitors. The briefing notes reported here are just some highlights of this meeting. This log presented on this web site is not an official summary of the meeting, is not presented on behalf of the Coast Guard or any agency responsible for the cleanup, and could contain errors and omissions.

Previously Posted Updates

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

We posted a report prepared by GEOInsight Inc. titled "Immediate Response Action Plan Status and Completion" report dated April 2007. Go to the Cleanup Status Page to view it.

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

We posted a report prepared by GEOInsight Inc. titled PHASE IV LEMENTATION PLAN HOPPY'S LANDING (LONG ISLAND) in Fairhaven, MA. Go to the Cleanup Status Page to view it.

Friday, October 6, 2006

We have begun posting August 2006 reports prepared by GEOInsight Inc. as part of their RESPONSE ACTION OUTCOME STATEMENT. Go to the Cleanup Status Page to view them.

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

We posted cleanup scope of work files prepared by GEOInsight Inc.'s during the summer and fall of 2005. Go to the Cleanup Status Page to view them.

Thursday, June 8, 2006

We posted GEOInsight Inc.'s June 6, 2006 presentation on the Cleanup Status Page.

Tuesday, June 6, 2006

GEOInsight Inc. is hosting an informational meeting today at 6:30 PM at the Whaling Museum in New Bedford to discuss remaining oil spill cleanup activities related to the Bouchard No. 120 spill. Read the New Bedford Standard Times Newspaper article for more information.

Monday, July 18, 2005

We have received from GEOInsight Inc., two plans to cleanup residual oil (principally buried) at two sites: a site on West Island, Fairhaven, and a site near Brandt Island in Mattapoisett. Go to our Cleanup Status page to download the two reports.

Friday, June 10, 2005

During a US Coast Guard Change of Command Ceremony at the US Naval Station in Newport, Rhode Island, Captain Mary Landry received a special commendation for her 3 year service as Commander of the US Coast Guard Marine Safety Office in Providence. Captain Landry was the commanding officer responsible for overseeing the safety and security of the environmentally sensitive waterways of Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts. She was also the federal on-scene coordinator for the clean-up of Buzzards Bay after Bouchard No. 120 Incident Command Center. Captain Landry is transferring to the Coast Guard's First District Headquarters in Boston where she will assume the duties of the chief of marine safety.

The Buzzards Bay NEP, like others involved with the oil spill, appreciated Captain Landry's commitment and dedication to the oil spill clean-up, and we wish her well at her new post.


Captain Nash comes to MSO Providence from his position as commanding officer of the Coast Guard Marine Safety Center in Washington, DC, where he was principally involved with overseeing the review and approval of commercial vessel plans.

In his past position, Captain Nash became involved with the assessment of the volume of oil spilled in Buzzards Bay. A month after the spill volume was announced to be 98,000 gallons, a consultant for the Bouchard Transportation Company concluded that only 22,000-55,000 gallons of Number 6 oil were spilled. The independent auditing firm Caleb-Brett Intertek had made the 98,000-gallon estimate, the day after the spill, while the damaged tanker was anchored in Buzzards Bay. Bouchard's consultants estimate was based on the amount of oil originally carried by the B120, the amount of oil delivered, and the amount recovered from the B120 after the vessel had all its compartments and lines were steam cleaned during its repair.

The Buzzards Bay NEP wrote Captain Landry and the MA DEP identifying flaws and weaknesses in the consultant's analysis, and we presented additional information that supported the original 98,000-gallon spill estimate. Captain Landry forwarded our comments to Captain Nash's office. On June 29, 2004, Captain Nash concluded in a memorandum to the Coast Guard MSO Providence (208 kb pdf file) that the best estimate of oil spilled was the 98,000 gallon estimate made by the firm Caleb Brett Intertek the day after the spill. More information about the volume spilled is on our Oil Volume page.

Tuesday, June 7, 2005

We have posted the presentation made by GEOInsight Inc. at the New Bedford Whaling Museum on June 2, including a computer simulation movie of the transport of oil in the first few days after the accident. These presentations are posted on our Cleanup Status page.

Thursday, June 2, 2005

GEOInsight Inc. will hold a public meeting tonight at the New Bedford Whaling Museum theater at 7 PM. Doors will open at 6:30 PM for the viewing of exhibits. GEOInsight will discuss information contained in its April 2005 Cleanup Status Report . A short presentation will also be made about progress in the ongoing natural response damage assessment.

Friday, April 22, 2005

We have received from GEOInsight, the licensed site professional overseeing the final phases of the cleanup, their March 23, 2005 report on cleanup activities in Buzzards Bay to address oil spill cleanup activities from the Bouchard No. 120 oil spill. While the body of the report is only 25 pages long, appended to it are many excellent maps, figures, and appendixes that summarize areas affected and actions taken. It also includes some measurements of hydrocarbon concentrations observed. We have set up to a separate page to download the various sections of the report at this link: April 2005 Cleanup Status Report from GEOInsight

Friday, January 14, 2005

It was reported in the press that three projects in the "Buzzards Bay Watershed Partners" grant to the federal NAWCA grant program will be funded with Bouchard No. 120 fines, for a total of $2.3 million. Read details on our NAWCA page.

Wednesday, December 8, 2004

We have received from GEOInsight, a December 1, 2004 dated plan for additional cleanup activities at Strawberry Point in Mattapoisett to address residual oil from the B120 release. This plan (Proposed IRA Cleanup Activities W1E-03 Strawberry Point West DEP RTN 4-17786), and some supporting material, are posted on our Status and Announcements page.

Monday, December 6, 2004

We finally updated our Shellfish Impacts page to reflect the shellfish oil spill ban rescissions announced by the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries on June 29, 2004.

Monday, November 22, 2004

On Friday, November 19, 2004 a federal judge announced that a $10 million guilty plea criminal settlement agreement had been finalized between the Bouchard Transportation Company, and the federal government ( read this New Bedford Standard Times from 11/19/04, "Bouchard pleads guilty, agrees to $10M fine") to learn more. Of the $10 million, $7 million would go to the North American Wetland Conservation Act (NAWCA) fund, $2 million would go to the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund (for the cleanup of spills where the responsible party is unknown), and $1 million will be suspended while the company completes a three-year probation requiring certain actions.

Go to or Settlement Information page for more information, and our new NAWCA page for more information on potential projects in Buzzards Bay.

Tuesday, October 26, 2004

The US Coast Guard has proposed the new required shipping lanes in Buzzards Bay for Hazardous cargo. The detailed description and regulations are posed in the Federal Register (pdf file posting). The announcement includes dates and locations of public hearings.

Thursday, September 30, 2004

We have received from GEOInsight, the September 2004 IRA status report. This reports, and some supporting material, are posted on our Status and Announcements page.

Tuesday, September 28, 2004

We have received from GEOInsight, the licensed site professional overseeing the final phases of the cleanup, correspondence that outlines "proposed additional cleanup activities planned at Leisure Shores Beach in Mattapoisett, Massachusetts." This correspondence is posted on our Status and Announcements page.

Reminder: Tomorrow GeoInsight will host its fourth public meeting to update members of the Buzzards Bay community on the clean up activities related to the April 27, 2003 oil spill. More information is on our B120 Status and Announcements page.

Wednesday, September 1, 2004

On Wednesday, September 29, 2004, GeoInsight will host its fourth public meeting to update members of the Buzzards Bay community on the clean up activities related to the April 27, 2003 oil spill. The first public briefing organized by GeoInsight was on November 12, 2003, the second on February 18, 2004 and the third on May 12, 2004.

GeoInsight is providing Licensed Site Professional (LSP) services to conduct and oversee response actions under the Massachusetts Contingency Plan (MCP). Richard J. Wozmak of GeoInsight is the LSP-of-Record for this incident. The purpose of the Public Meeting is to discuss ongoing response actions. The meeting will be held at the New Bedford Whaling Museum at 18 Johnny Cake Hill in New Bedford. The Museum doors will open at 6:30 PM. There will be several exhibits set up for review and attendees will have the opportunity to speak with response participants. Formal presentations will commence at 7:00 PM. For additional information regarding the meeting, feel free to contact Kevin Trainer of GeoInsight at (978) 692-1114 or Jim Lawrence of MTI Network USA at (203) 406-0106, ext. 13.

Monday August 9, 2004

On August 3, 2004 Governor Romney signed landmark legislation that raises fines for oil spills, implements new safety standards, changes navigational rules, and imposes a two cent per barrel fee to establish a $10 million dollar fund for state and local oil spill response and training. We have updated our Oil Spill Commission page with information about the legislation.

Wednesday, July 21, 2004

There has been an ongoing debate about the volume of oil spilled by the Bouchard No. 120 when it struck bottom near marker G1 at the entrance of Buzzards Bay on April 27, 2003. Although initial estimates in the days after the accident were that 14,000 gallons had spilled, the first reliable estimate was released in mid-May 2003 at 98,000 gallons. This estimate was based on ullage measurements (tank headspace and liquid volumes) taken April 28, 2003 on board the Bouchard No. 120, the day after the accident, by a firm called Caleb Brett Intertek.

In June 2003, however, a consultant for the Bouchard Transportation Company (Independent Maritime Consulting Ltd.) released a new report that evaluated the volume of oil delivered to Mirant, and the residual amount of oil collected from two vessels (B120 and B10) hot washed in a shipyard in New York, and other information, and concluded that the actual volume spilled in Buzzards Bay was more likely to be between 22,000 and 55,000 gallons. The 55,000 gallon estimate was generally picked up by the press as the likely volume spilled.

However, in our own report issued in February 2004, the Buzzards Bay NEP reviewed the Independent Maritime Consulting Ltd. report and found that it contained questionable assumptions and additional uncertainties relating to the methods used. Moreover, certain measurements were not made that added to the uncertainty. The Buzzards Bay NEP concluded that because of these uncertainties, many of which were associated with multiple oil transfers among several vessels and tanks that were later cleaned, the 55,000-gallon estimate was less reliable than the original estimate of 98,000 by Caleb Brett. The Project also found that measurements of remaining oil on the tankers and delivered to the Mirant power station were consistent with the 98,000-gallon total. The Buzzards Bay NEP further contended that the volume of oil spilled could have been considerably greater than the volume estimated by Independent Maritime Consulting Ltd. depending upon the amount of water contamination included in the oil delivery to the Mirant power station, a measurement not reported to the Coast Guard.

The Buzzards Bay NEP's February 2004 report generated a response and further analysis from Independent Maritime Consulting Ltd. in March 2004, which was followed by further analysis by the Buzzards Bay NEP in April 2004.

This summer, the US Coast Guard Marine Safety Center in Washington DC reviewed all the aforementioned reports and correspondence. They concluded that the revised lower estimates of oil spilled as proposed by the firm Independent Maritime Consulting Ltd. did not include "methodologies or engineering practices that are more credible than the post casualty ullages recorded by Caleb Brett." That is to say, the 98,000-gallon estimate of oil spill remains the most credible estimate of oil spilled in the absence of any new information. Click here to read the USCG June 29, 2004 Memorandum (208 kb) on the volume of oil spilled, or review our Oil Volume Page for a detailed explanation of the technical issues surrounding the spill estimates.

Friday, July 9, 2004

We have received from GEOInsight, the licensed site professional overseeing the final phases of the cleanup, an Immediate Response Action (IRA) Plan Modification for posting on our website, along with some companion figures. These are posted on our Status and Announcements page.

Wednesday, June 9, 2004

On June 7, Congressman Delahunt, State Senator's Robert O'Leary and Teresa Murray, Captain Mary Landry of the US Coast Guard, and officials from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) met at the Mass Maritime Academy to discuss the possible deployment of a "PORTS" (Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System) weather and current buoy system in Buzzards Bay. The PORTS technology could provide real-time weather, wave, and current information for Buzzards Bay, available through the internet. This could system could potentially reduce navigational accidents resulting from unusual weather conditions. The data could also be used to develop more sophisticated water circulation models for Buzzards Bay to better predict spill landfalls.

The ports system described would cost roughly $900,000 to deploy, with an additional $350,000 in annual operation and maintenance costs. These latter costs would be borne by local or state entities. It was acknowledged that successful utilization of the PORTS system would depend on its utilization by vessel operators, and the development of circulation models using the data collected

Thursday, June 3, 2004

On our Status and Announcements page, we have added additional graphics, maps and figures from GeoInsights Phase I and Phase II reports showing oiled ares, accident locations, oil surveys, degree of oiling, etc.

Thursday, May 20, 2004

Massachusetts DEP has extended the public comment period to June 20, 2004 on Geoinsights "Tier 1A Permit application" for the Bouchard Barge B120. Go to our Status and Announcements to see the core sections of the report.

We have also posted on the same page the slideshow presentation from the GeoInsight's Bouchard No. 120 public meeting held at the New Bedford Whaling Museum on May 12.

Wednesday, May 12, 2004

We have been requested by GEOInsight, the licensed site professional overseeing the final phases of the cleanup, to post two cleanup status documents on our website. Go to our Status and Announcement page for more details. The reports will likely be one of the topics discussed at the public meeting tonight on cleanup activity progress. The meeting will be held at the New Bedford Whaling Museum starting at 7:30 pm.

Tuesday, April 27, 2004

On April 27, the one-year anniversary of the Bouchard No. 120 oil spill in Buzzards Bay, the state legislature's Buzzards Bay Oil Spill Commission is scheduled to release proposed new legislation to help minimize future oil spills in Buzzards Bay. The legislation increases state fines, provides incentives for double hull vessels, and would require pilots on tugs pulling hazardous cargo. It would also establish a $10 million dollar fund for state oil spill protection and training measures. The state law would levy a 2-cent per barrel tax on fuel transported to create the fund. Read the New Bedford Standard Times story on the legislation.

Also today, a Fairhaven filmmaker, Arnold Parsons, will release a documentary about the Buzzards Bay oil spill. The film will be shown at the New Bedford Whaling Museum at 7 PM. The $10 dollar admission fee is to make copies of the film available to local schools and libraries.

Thursday, April 22, 2004

We have updated our shellfish closure maps page with the new information.

Wednesday, April 21, 2004

As we noted previously, the cleanup costs reported last summer ($38 million) were estimates of expenses by Unified Command. Some of these estimated costs were realized, and others, particularly cleanup expenses by municipalities, were paid directly by Bouchard Transportation Company's claims agent through the claims process established for the spill. This claims process was also used to pay private damages and loss of income of commercial shellfisherman. The cleanup costs also did not occur some smaller additional expenses into 2004. Bouchard's claims agent has provided the Buzzards Bay NEP with updated cost information. As of April 19, cleanup costs have totaled $35.5 million, and claims have totaled $2.5 million. We have updated our oil costs page with the new information.

Friday, April 16, 2004

The Buzzards Bay NEP has posted a response to the Bouchard Transport Company consultant's March 18, 2004 report. Go to our oil volume page to see our comments.

Thursday, April 15, 2004

On March 18, the Bouchard Transport Company submitted to the Coast Guard a rebuttal to the Buzzards Bay NEP's February 2004 interim report on our evaluation of data on the volume of oil spilled in Buzzards Bay. Bouchard's consultant stands by their June 2003 estimate of no more than 55,000 gallons spilled in Buzzards Bay. Go to our oil volume page to see their comments. Tomorrow the Buzzards Bay NEP will post its comments on the new information presented.

Wednesday, April 14, 2004

We have been notified by GEO Insight, the licensed site professional overseeing the final phases of the cleanup, that the next public meeting on cleanup activity progress will be held on Wednesday, May 12, 2004 at the New Bedford Whaling Museum starting at 7:30 pm. Go to our Status and Announcement page for more details.

Tuesday, March 30, 2004

We have added some satellite imagery from the day of the accident to our Accident Summary page.

Monday, March 29, 2004

We have added two new web pages. The first is an Oil Spill Costs page that explains the various monetary costs associated with this spill. The other is a page on the Criminal Case Settlement, which has the documents released relating to the legal agreement and criminal charges.

Thursday, March 4, 2004

We have added an Oil Spill Costs page to summarize all the costs associated with the Bouchard oil spill, and to compare those costs to some other spills.

Monday, March 1, 2004

Reminder: The Massachusetts Legislature's Buzzards Bay Oil Spill Commission will hold its first public meeting tomorrow, March 2, at the Whaling Museum in New Bedford, 7-9 PM

We have added some graphics to the oil volume page to better communicate the issues surrounding the problem.

Friday, February 20, 2004

We finally wrapped up some loose ends on our Past Oil Spills in Buzzards Bay page.

Thursday, February 19, 2004

On our Cleanup Status and Announcements page, has yesterday's GEO Insight's public meeting presentation.

Wednesday, February 18, 2004

On our Cleanup Status and Announcements page, we have added the February 2004 IRA cleanup plan produced by GEO Insight, the Licensed Site Professional (LSP) that is working with DEP to ensure that the remaining oil spill cleanup activities will comply with the Massachusetts Hazardous Waste cleanup law. This plan, and other information, will be presented at tonight's public hearing in New Bedford.

Friday, February 13, 2004

We have added a new page on the volume of oil spilled to enable access to the Bouchard Transportation Company's consultant's report, which was provided to state and federal officials involved with the spill clean-up, and which contains their estimate of the volume of oil spilled. This page also has links to download the Buzzards Bay NEP's review of their evaluation.

Monday, February 9, 2004

The state legislature's Natural Resources and Agricultural Committee, chaired by Representative William G. Greene Jr., has set up a Commission to investigate potential state action to prevent future oil spills in Buzzards Bay. The Acting Chair of this Buzzards Bay Oil Commission is State Representative John Quinn of Dartmouth. The Commission will be composed of 11 State Reps, 5 Senators, and 4 non-legislative personnel, 2 of which will be appointed by the Governor.

The purpose of the special Commission is to study the ecological and environmental impacts of the oil spill in Buzzards Bay, and to investigate changes to laws and regulations to increase the safety of commercial barges traveling in state waters.

The Commission expects to hold three public hearings as follows:

• Tuesday March 2nd - Whaling Museum, New Bedford
• Thursday March 4th - Mass. Maritime Academy, Bourne
• Monday March 8th - North Shore site TBA by Sen. Tarr

The Commission's first meeting was February 5, 2004. Read the minutes of the meeting (pdf file). The Commission hopes to issue a report of its recommendations in April.

Friday, February 6, 2004

The day after the Bouchard No. 120 leaked oil into Buzzards Bay, government officials estimated 14,700 gallons of Number 6 oil were spilled. On May 21, the press reported that the Bouchard Transportation Company had concluded that the actual volume was approximately 98,000 gallons. This estimate was based on oil inspector reports while the damaged vessel was anchored in Buzzards Bay the day after the accident.

In May also, Bouchard contracted with a firm to evaluate all the data associated with the spill, including residual oil contained in the Bouchard No. 120, and another tanker, the Bouchard No. 10, which offloaded oil and water from the damaged vessel. This report relied heavily on the volume of oil collected when these vessels were cleaned in a shipyard in May. This report was completed in mid June, and concluded that only 22,000 to 55,000 gallons of oil was spilled. In late June, newspaper articles cited this report, and subsequently some officials and newspapers began using the 55,000-gallon total as the likely spilled volume.

Technically, however, the government never adopted a final spill volume, and the matter is still under investigation.

The Buzzards Bay NEP has reviewed the June 2003 report and found problems with certain approaches and methods, which call into question its conclusions. In addition, the Buzzards Bay NEP reviewed inspector's reports from the two vessels before and after they delivered oil to the Mirant Canal Electric facility and found the volumes of oil and water in those inspector's reports support a loss of 97,000 gallons of oil in Buzzards Bay.

Our interim technical report reviewing the available data is provided below. It is an "interim report" because it has been submitted to various agencies and parties for review.

The resolution of the volume of oil spilled has been difficult, in part because the amount of oil in two tanks on the Bouchard No. 10, which contained a "slop" oil and water mixture from the Bouchard No. 120, were never carefully evaluated. The Coast Guard has sent our report and other evaluations about the spill volume to the Coast Guard's Marine Safety Center in Washington DC. Based on this and other information, the state and federal government will eventually adopt adopt an "official" total amount or likely range of oil spilled in Buzzards Bay.

Go to our Oil Spill Volume page to read the report.

Thursday, January 29, 2004

It now appears that Bouchard No. 120 tank barge struck bottom just north of buoy G1 at the entrance of Buzzards Bay. We previously believed the barge struck near buoy C1, 2 miles to the north, near Hen and Chicks Reef. We have changed the information and map on our accident summary page.

Tuesday, January 27, 2004

GeoInsight has notified us that the Bouchard No. 120 Oil Spill public meeting scheduled in New Bedford for tomorrow, Wednesday, January 28, 2004 has been postponed due to the expected snowstorm. The meeting has been postponed until February 18, 2004, at 7:30 pm. The meeting will still be held at the New Bedford Whaling museum and will cover the status of inspection and cleanup activities on the Bouchard No. 120 spill since the last update in November. The doors will open at 7:00 PM

Thursday, November 20

GeoInsight has notified us that another public meeting will be held at the New Bedford Whaling Museum on Wednesday, January 28, 2004. The doors will open at 7:00 PM and a presentation will begin at 7:30 to discuss the status of activities since the last meeting.

Tuesday, November 18

On November 12, nearly all the remaining shellfish resource areas that were closed because of the oil spill were reopened to shellfishing. This New Bedford Standard Time Article (opens in new window) explains some of the issues that kept the beds closed. Our past updates page (see September 9), also includes a detailed explanation of the seafood human health issues surrounding this spill.

Even before this oil spill, we sometimes received queries from residents about oil on rocks or sheens that were believed to be from oil. Sometimes residents correctly identified oil pollution; sometimes they mistook naturally occurring blue-green algae on rocks, or naturally occurring compounds from the decomposition of algae. Hydrocarbon sheens in open areas might be the result of discharges from boat engines, fueling spills, or street runoff of stormwater. Naturally occurring sheens are most often found in the summer (periods of warm water), particularly in stagnant areas like salt marsh ditches, or protected pools of water, and are derived from decomposing plants and algae. Blue-green algal mats, which actually look black, occur as a thin film on rocks, generally in a one foot band on rocks above the mean high-water mark in Buzzards Bay.

To address misidentification of naturally occurring sheens from decomposing algae and plants, or blue-green algae, GeoInsight has released an algae fact sheet (121 kb pdf file, opens in new window) that addresses this issue. While the fact sheet shows a somewhat atypical looking blue-green algal mat for Buzzards Bay, overall the fact sheet is accurate. [The sharp contrasts between the algae and the rock can occur because of periwinkle grazing, but usually the boundary is on the lower edge of the algal band which represents the limit where periwinkles crawl to the waters edge to scrape rocks. Our picture to the right is a little more typical of what you might see in Buzzards Bay.]


On November 12, GeoInsight, and state and federal officials gave an update at the New Bedford Whaling Museum on cleanup activities and the Natural Resource Damages Assessment related to the Bouchard No. 120 spill. We have posted their slide show presentation on this website. Click to see the November 12 public meeting slideshow

Thursday, November 6

We have added some additional documents form GeoInsight Inc. on our Cleanup Status page, including the September 15 IRA Plan.

Tuesday, November 4

Dr. Joe Costa, Executive Director of the Buzzards Bay NEP, has agreed to participate with state and federal agencies in the Natural Resource Damage Assessment. Dr. Costa is on the Aquatic Resources Technical Working Group which is reviewing water column, sediment, and shellfish tissue hydrocarbon contamination and impacts.

The Buzzards Bay NEP hopes to be working with the new cleanup contractors to provide public updates on ongoing cleanup activities. The lead company is called GeoInsight Inc, which took over the cleanup after the Command Center closed at the start of September. Cleanup activities now must follow the state's Massachusetts Oil and Hazardous Material Release Prevention and Response Act (MGL 21e).

Today, Geoinsight released an update on cleanup activities. Open and read GeoInsight November 2003 Update (pdf file) in a new window. In their announcement, GeoInsight stated that a September 15, 2003 IRA plan was posted on the Buzzards Bay website. The Buzzards Bay NEP, however, has not yet received this document from GeoInsight, but will post it when we receive it.

GeoInsight also announced that next Wednesday, November 12th, in New Bedford at 7:30 PM, there will be a public meeting and update of the oil spill cleanup and NRDA process. Read this link of GeoInsight announcement (pdf file) of the November 12 public meeting at the Whaling Museum.

Tuesday, October 21

The Lloyd Center for Environmental Studies and the Tufts University Center for Conservation Medicine are seeking volunteers to help evaluate seabird mortality along the New England Coast. Last year, the Lloyd Center and Tufts University co-founded the Seabird Ecological Assessment Network (SEANET). Volunteer surveys of area beaches will provide baseline information about causes of seabird mortality, from oil spills to disease. Volunteers who are willing to walk up to one mile of beach are needed to collect field data from 75 miles of shoreline in the towns of Westport, Dartmouth, New Bedford, Fairhaven, Mattapoisett, Marion, and Wareham. The data will be collected at least once every month on the volunteer's assigned beach, preferably during the same week each month. Anyone willing to make a one-year commitment by working as a SEANET volunteer is strongly encouraged Mr. Jamie Bogart at the Lloyd Center at (508) 990-0505 x23, or email Mr. Bogart at plover@thelloydcenter.org.

Thursday, October 16

Based on the announcement from the Division of Marine Fisheries to Buzzards Bay town officials (click here to read the annoucement), we have updated our shellfish bed closure maps. Based on our own independent calculation, the closures due exclusively to potential threats of oil contamination in shellfish, now stand at 36,013 acres. This estimate is based on a few assumptions. For example, the DMF letter did not include openings in areas that were permanently closed like Allens Pond (BB6, permanently closed because of elevated fecal coliforms) or Little River, Dartmouth (BB9, a longstanding "management closure" area). For our calculations, we did not include such still-closed areas not specifically mention in the notice, although they did have oil contamination. Go to our Shellfish Impacts page to see the maps.

We have updated the Impacted Areas page to include the oiling criteria used to characterize areas as heavy, moderate, and light oiling.

Wednesday, October 15

On October 10, 2003, the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries rescinded the oil ban from 15 Shellfish Resource Areas in Buzzards Bay. These areas had been closed to shellfishing since April 28 because of the oil spill. Portions of some of these areas may remain closed due to bacteria levels as was the case before the spill occurred.

Today the New Bedford Standard Times article reported 52,000 acres were reopened, and that 48,000 acres remain closed because of continuing potential health concerns associated with the oil contamination. However, our own estimates were that nearly 90,000 acres of Buzzards Bay were closed through the summer, which would have left 38,000 acres closed after a reopening of 52,000. We will soon update our shellfish maps and try to account for the discrepancy.

Tuesday, September 16

The cleanup contractor corrected a few misclassifications on the cleanup status report. Three sites had passed inspections, but their status change was not recorded in the database, and one segment (Mishaum Point) had not yet passed IRAC inspection, although it was shown to be passed on the map. We have updated the Cleanup Status page maps and graphics with these changes.

Thursday, September 11

We have updated the maps and information on the Cleanup Status page.

Tuesday, September 9

As has been reported by the press, no new oil spill-closed shellfish beds in Buzzards Bay have been reopened since May, a continuing concern to many shellfisherman (although most have filed financial claims, and have received payments for lost income). It now appears unlikely any new shellfish beds will be opened for the next several weeks. The reason for the delay is complicated, and not well explained in newspaper articles.

The crux of the issue actually goes back decades. In fact, when we wrote the Buzzards Bay management plan (CCMP) in 1991, the state was drafting PAH policies which we thought would apply to seafood. The policies were not finalized, and the delay revolves around what threat hydrocarbons in shellfish pose to human health, how to characterize complex mixtures of hydrocarbons in seafood, and how to establish acceptable risk levels needed to protect human health. The issue is exacerbated by the fact that there are few national regulatory standards for low level hydrocarbon contamination of seafood, and each state may adopt its own standards (particularly if interstate commerce is not involved).

While seafood inspectors reject conspicuously "tainted" seafood that may cause immediate illness (the human nose can detect fairly low concentrations of certain hydrocarbons), most states have not adopted low level hydrocarbon contamination standards that address risks of cancer associated with lifelong consumption of seafood. In the US FDA's recently implemented Seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point program (HACCP), contamination of seafood by hydrocarbon mixtures is not even addressed (the program addresses certain metals, pesticides, and classes of chlorinated hydrocarbons, like PCBs). In Massachusetts, in the absence of established federal and state standards and policies for low level hydrocarbon contamination, state officials find themselves simultaneously grappling with seafood safety issues revolving around the Bouchard No. 120 spill, together with the broader issue of hydrocarbon contamination found in many harbors and estuaries derived from boat engines, street runoff, atmospheric deposition of soot, and old creosote pilings to name a few sources.

Establishing contaminant limits

Federal and State governments have generally adopted a chemical-specific approach to regulating toxic compounds in the environment and in food sources. Under this approach, the concentration of a particular contaminant is applied to a specific numeric criteria or standard for that contaminant. For example, everyone agrees that lead in drinking water is not good for child health and development, and the US EPA has set a Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 15 parts per billion (ppb or ng/L) of lead in drinking water supplies. Similar drinking water standards apply to pesticides and hydrocarbons. For example, the limit for the pesticide Chlordane in drinking water is 5 parts per billion (ppb), and single hydrocarbon contaminants like benzene, a constituent in gasoline, has a limit of 2 ppb.

These standards are based on current knowledge of human health and scientific studies and adopted acceptable risk levels (ARLs. These recommended standards sometimes change over time as new health studies are published (nearly always lowering). For example, the drinking water limit for arsenic is currently 50 ppb, but the EPA has proposed changing the limit to 10 ppb by 2006. This proposed rule change has caused considerable debate because of the expected expense to municipal governments associated with removing low-level arsenic from water supplies in some parts of the country. This has lead to questions over the validity of the arsenic studies, and whether certain naturally occurring arsenic compounds pose the same risk as arsenic compounds used in laboratory studies.

Like drinking water, the EPA and the FDA have proposed certain contaminant levels in seafood. These "action limits" are generally higher than allowed in drinking water because the amount of seafood ingested is much smaller than compared to drinking water. For example, while the EPA limits Chlordane in drinking water to 5 parts per billion (Massachusetts limits are now 2 ppb), the FDA recommended a maximum Chlordane level in seafood of 300 parts per billion.

When it comes to oil spills, a standard for lifelong consumption exposure is considerably harder to adopt, because petroleum products are composed of hundreds or even thousands of individual compounds, and common oil mixtures like "No. 6" fuel oil are highly variable among refineries. Some of the individual compounds in these oil mixtures are not well studied. Because of this complexity and variability of petroleum mixtures, regulatory agencies do not use single "indicator" compounds (e.g. benzene) to assess risk. Rather, some measure of total hydrocarbon content and risk is evaluated instead.

Sometimes Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons are evaluated in seafood, but in evaluating human risks, it has long been recognized that not all hydrocarbons should be considered equally. For example, hydrocarbons associated with the combustion of oil and fuels (from autos, furnaces, etc., called "pyrogenic" hydrocarbons) are considered more carcinogenic than hydrocarbons from natural seeps, crude oil, or even refined oil products like fuel oil (called "petrogenic" hydrocarbons). Hydrocarbons composed of multiple fused six-carbon rings (called Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, or PAHs, or sometimes called Polynuclear Aromatics) are also viewed as a greater threat to human health. One of these PAH compounds, called Benzo[alpha]Pyrene (BaP), is particularly carcinogenic, and has been well studied. One recent trend has been to characterize complex hydrocarbon mixtures found in seafood by assigning a BaP-equivalency to characterize carcinogenic risks associated with all the PAHs in the mixture. However, for practical reasons, BaP equivalency analyses are really based on only quantifying 14 specific PAH compounds that may be found in seafood.

Several states have used BaP-equivalency to evaluate seafood, or contamination after an oil spill, some have used Total PAH. What values of BaP-equivalency or Total PAH are considered "safe?" In different states, and in different oil spills, different values have been selected. Sometimes different standards are used in different species. Why is this the case? In the last decade, a very specific equation has been used to calculate the acceptable contaminant concentration in seafood. However, the calculated acceptable concentration limit depends on several assumptions used with this equation. The three key assumptions that health officials make that most affect the calculation of the action limit concentrations are as follows:

1) What is the Acceptable Risk Level (ARL)? For drinking water, the ARL often adopted is one cancer in one million over a 70-year lifetime for the average weight adult. However, for foods, states often adopt a lifetime risk of one cancer in one hundred thousand over 70 years.

2) How much seafood is consumed each month? Sometimes unlimited consumption is considered one 8 ounce serving every day. Sometimes 16 days of consumption per month are used. Few people consume this much shellfish, so lower average consumption rates may be used, which in turn will raise the acceptable concentration.

3) What is the BaP Cancer Slope Factor? This is a technical term derived from cancer and epidemiological studies, but health officials have a little flexibility in defining how conservative a measure this will be, which in tern affects the seafood action limit concentration.

Bottom Line Numbers

The methods discussed above relate to fish consumption advisories (how often an adult should consume a particular species). This discussion does not address the regulatory opening and closing of shellfish beds, which historically has only been prompted when there is an overt immediate health risk (e.g. avoiding sickness and death from pathogens or "red tide" toxins). In the case of finfish, to address life-long exposure issues, the trend among regulators during the past decade has been to issue health advisories as to how many meals of a particular fish species should be consumed each month. This helps many states avoid closing freshwater ponds to fishing because of high mercury or pesticides levels that exist in some areas. However, in the case of shellfish, which may be harvested in various "open " areas, and sold to the public, there has been a strong desire by health officials to simply define areas open and closed to shellfishing, and avoid issuing health advisories on shellfish consumption. Because shellfish beds in enclosed embayments and harbors typically are closed first to bacteria before they show elevated hydrocarbon levels, and because shellfish do not have high lipid (fat) content which would bioaccumulate certain contaminants, the reliance on bacterial classifications to protect human health has been a reasonable policy.

One recent EPA seafood advisory recommended that health officials adopt a 6-ppm (parts per million) limit of PAHs for seafood. If this limit were adopted as the basis of shellfish bed open status, many harbors along the East Coast of the US would be closed to shellfishing, because, unlike fish, shellfish to not metabolize (break down) PAHs, and the compounds may bioaccumulate in their tissues. After the Exxon Valdez oil spill, BaP-Equivalency advisory levels for subsistence consumers (using only a ten-year exposure period) were 3 ppb BaPE for salmon, 5 ppb BaPE for finfish,11 ppb BaPE for crustaceans, and 120 ppb BaPE for bivalve mollusks. Following the Kure oil spill, the California Department of Health Services adopted advisory action levels of 34 ppb BaPE for the average shellfish consumer and 5 ppb BaPE for frequent shellfish consumption. These levels were not used to establish the opening or closing of shellfish beds, and other values have been adopted by other states.

What will the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the Division of Marine Fisheries establish as the standard to open and close shellfish beds due to the Bouchard No. 120 spill? Will that action limit have implications for unoiled bays in the Commonwealth affected by non-point sources of PAH? Will there be a lower threshold PAH consumption advisory level? These questions remain unresolved.

Whatever decisions are made, the public could find the decisions contentious or confusing. As noted in one NOAA publication: "The public wants to know whether the seafood is safe to eat; yet the answers given are typically posed in terms of 'acceptable risk' or 'not a significant risk.'" The same document pointed out that Alaskan village residents became upset when it was pointed out that samples of smoked fish contained carcinogenic hydrocarbon levels hundreds of times higher than any shellfish samples collected from oiled beaches, and nearly 10,000 times higher than found in wild salmon. The report noted, "residents considered eating smoked salmon to be an acceptable, voluntary risk, and eating oil-contaminated seafood to be an involuntary, unacceptable risk." Even the meaning of the analytical results can seem questionable when it was pointed out that the leafy vegetable Kale shows a PAH concentration (from naturally occurring plant compounds) three to fifty times higher than smoked fish. With this kind of information, the report concluded "risk comparisons should be made carefully."

Additional Reading

NOAA Document: Managing Seafood Safety after an Oil Spill. A key document being used by health officials (1 MB pdf file).

U.S. Food and Drug Administration Seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point site.

EPA mid-Atlantic study page showing EPA recommended tissue concentration limits used in issuing fish advisories.

Main EPA page on seafood safety and advisories .

Friday August 29

Because oil spill cleanup operations were winding down, and because of scheduled vacations, and various report and grant obligations of the Buzzards Bay NEP, we suspended updates on cleanup activities during most of August. We apologize if this caused any inconvenience to those tracking the cleanup operations.

In brief, during the last several weeks, most shorelines of Buzzards were cleaned and have met the IRAC cleanup goals. Next week, we will update our graphs and information to document this progress.

In fact, cleanup operations have gone so well that the Command Center in Mattapoisett will be closing today. The cleanup of the small number of beaches still requiring remedial work will be handled by private contractors (LSPs or Licensed Site Professionals) in the coming weeks. We will be posting new phone numbers and contact information for residents who may have concerns about specific areas.

No new shellfish beds have been reopened since May, which is a concern to many shellfisherman. A New Bedford Standard Times Article on August 26 discussed Congressman Barney Frank's concern about the closure.

Yesterday, the US Coast Guard Marine Safety Office in Providence had a "Hot Wash" meeting to discuss what went right and wrong during the cleanup operations and immediate response after the spill. The meeting was reported to have gone well, and there was a constructive discussion of what lessons were learned, and how that information can be used to better respond to future spills. We hope to post a summary of the meeting.

In the coming months, the Buzzards Bay NEP will focus more on the Natural Resources Damage Assessment studies to evaluate the environmental effects of the oil spill and public losses that will be the basis of financial damages and settlements resulting from the spill.

Thursday July 31

Since the end of June, shoreline cleanup plans have been released each Friday. The plans are now really a cleanup status report of all the shoreline segments of Buzzards Bay. We have been receiving hard copies of this status report, which we use to update our cleanup status graph, and our cleanup status maps. IRAC approved beaches are now approaching the halfway mark. Tides were unfavorable for inspections last week, and more sites should be reported in tomorrows Cleanup Plan.

After a beach meets IRAC cleanup goals, the responsibility for any new oil related problems identified on the shore is transferred to a Licensed Site Professional (LSP). The exception to this rule are Islands in Buzzards Bay (Elizabeth Island chain and Ram Island in Sippican Harbor, Marion), which have been transferred to an LSP while they await IRAC inspections.

Shoreline cleanup personnel now number 46, and these individuals have primarily focused on cleaning any problem areas identified during the IRAC surveys, if a beach fails inspection. As of Monday, total cleanup costs have totaled $38.7 million.

Tuesday July 22

Due to other obligations, the Buzzards Bay NEP has not covered recent Incident Command briefings. For the most part, cleanup activity remains focused on a handful of remaining beaches. In fact, all areas have had the status "Cleaned and in Maintenance," but five segments have not passed IRAC inspections, so we list them as being cleaned. Shoreline cleanup personnel have dropped to 55 persons. During the past few weeks, the Operations section has been repairing any roads or fences damaged during the cleanup operations. On Ram Island in Mattapoisett, some salt marsh grass habitat (Spartina alterniflora) was restored during July 12-14. A similar salt marsh restoration is commencing on Long Island, Fairhaven. IRAC inspections continue. Last week, tides were unfavorable for many IRAC inspections, and areas inspected and approved were largely in Bourne and Falmouth. Our cleanup status page has been updated with the new cleanup status maps and graphs, as of the last Shoreline Cleanup Plan on July 18. Tides are more favorable this week, and more inspections should be completed this week than last.

As the cleanup winds down, the Buzzards Bay NEP will increasingly focus on other aspects of the spill, particularly the Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA), which will be ongoing for the next year or two. For the NRDA, we are currently working with Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management to review SCAT team survey information and data, and our own maps and notes, to document the full extent and degree of oiling around Buzzards Bay.

Monday July 14 Updates

This morning, Congressman William Delahunt held a public hearing on navigational safety in Buzzards Bay. Comments were received from the Coast Guard, the US Army Corps (which operates the Cape Cod Canal), local officials, citizen groups, concerned residents, a spokesperson for tank barge operators, and others. Congressman Frank noted at the outset that both he and Congressman Delahunt were in support of new legislation to speed up national requirements to ship oil in double-hulled vessels (the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 sets a deadline of 2015 for all vessels). However, they felt that such legislation did not appear to have the necessary level of Congressional support, and encouraged speakers to identify other navigational improvements that could be made to prevent oil spills in Buzzards Bay.
An Army Corps of Engineers representative noted that 1.9 to 2.0 billion gallons of petroleum products were shipped through the Cape Cod Canal in 2002. Of this, 81% of the vessels trips with petroleum product were through single hulled vessels. In 2002, 86% of the trips through the canal by Bouchard Transport, the company involved with the recent Buzzards Bay spill, were via single hulled vessels. This total contrasts sharply to the national average that only 33% of the tank barge fleet are single hulled vessels, as reported by the representative of the American Waterways Operators Association. In his comments to the Congressman, Mark Rasmussen of the Coalition for Buzzards Bay stated that some European countries are now banning immediately single hulled vessels because of the Prestige oil spill on the coast of Spain last year. He noted that the Prestige was ironically transferred to Europe because that particular class of single hull vessel was being phased to double hull in the US. Mr. Rasmussen suggested European bans might result in more single hull vessels being used in the US. He also suggested that if recipients of oil shared some of the legal responsibility and liability of oil spills, this might prompt them to require oil deliveries via double hulls.

Most other comments focused on navigation issues. The point was made that Buzzards Bay was already a "Regulated Navigational Area" in which the First US Coast Guard District could promulgate rules. Several speakers pointed out that Massachusetts was one of the few states not to take advantage of establishing comprehensive pilotage requirements for navigation of vessels (including foreign ones) through coastal waters. Many vessels passing through Buzzards Bay are in transit to destinations other than Massachusetts ports, and consequently do not come under the existing state port regulations.

Westport Harbormaster Richard Earl noted that many accidents have occurred off the Hen and Chicks Reef off Gooseberry Point. He suggested that the Coast Guard adopt a rule requiring that vessels carrying hazardous cargo keep south of marker G1 and be confined to a shipping lane. He noted that tank barges could now choose a course closer to shore and the dangerous Hen and Chicks Reef. He also suggested that nautical chart labeling should be changed because there may be some confusion between the C1 and G1 markers.

Chief Francis of Fairhaven suggested that the Coast Guard review policies for defined "Anchorage Areas" on nautical charts, and whether those are the appropriate areas to direct damaged vessels leaking oil.

Several speakers and the Congressmen discussed navigational beacons on vessels. Currently these systems are already deployed on scallop boats to ensure they are outside of restricted fishing areas. The same technology could be used on oil tankers and tank barges to track their location, and notify the operator when they are outside of a designated shipping lane. Earlier however, the Army Corps representative noted that their traffic control jurisdiction extends only to the entrance of the Canal, at Cleveland Ledge.

Other topics briefly discussed included requiring tractor tugs, secondary tugs, and use of local pilots. The Congressmen encouraged those that did not have the opportunity to speak to submit comments in writing to their offices.

Friday July 11 Updates

IRAC inspections will continue next week, but tides are unfavorable, so the actual number of inspections completed next week will depend upon state, federal, and local personnel availability for the narrow windows of low tides and available sunlight.

On Monday, Congressman Barney Frank and Congressman William Delahunt will hold a public hearing at the New Bedford Whaling museum on navigation safety on Buzzards Bay. The meeting will be held at 10 A.M. at the New Bedford Whaling museum. Read this Standard Times' article for more information. Another hearing will be held on July 28 to address compensation issues.

Oil tanker and tank barge safety in Buzzards Bay has long been a concern for the Buzzards Bay NEP. In our 1991 Management Plan for Buzzards Bay, the Preventing Oil Pollution Action Plan identified improved navigation and pilotage requirements as an important need to protect Buzzards Bay from future oil spills. In our 1999 Review (250 kb pdf) of the implementation of the Buzzards Bay Management Plan, we concluded that many of the Preventing Oil Pollution Action Plan recommendations were met, including increased state pilotage requirements, and oil spills seemed less frequent. In 1999 we wrote:

With regards to reducing risks of spills, in the early 1990s, the Coalition for Buzzards Bay aggressively lobbied for and was successful in initiating new pilotage legislation by Massachusetts, and also encouraged policy changes by the USCG. The Coalition also fought to keep a key navigation beacon in place in Buzzards Bay that was initially proposed for elimination by the Coast Guard. These changes now ensure qualified pilotage and safer transit through the Cape Cod Canal and Buzzards Bay. In 1997, MCZM is promoting new state legislation more carefully regulating barge transport in Massachusetts' coastal waters, and this legislation is pending.

It is difficult to determine the effectiveness of the pilotage and navigation changes. Clearly Buzzards Bay has not had the large spills that seemed to have occurred more frequently in the 1960s, 70s and 80s. Improved municipal training will also be difficult to judge in the absence of a large spill but with regards to smaller spills, Buzzards Bay municipalities have already put the BBP funded equipment and their new training to work.

Two of the state legislators involved with the passage of the pilotage legislation in the 1990s, Eric Turkington of Falmouth, and John Quinn of Dartmouth wrote a recent opinion article noting that there were loopholes in that legislation that they and other state legislators want to fix. Read the Turkington/Quin Article 'Buzzards Bay has suffered enough' to understand how state legislators are trying to improve Massachusetts' pilotage standards for Buzzards Bay.

Pilotage regulations is one area where states have the authority to regulate. However, the US Supreme court has decided that states have limited authority to regulate other areas of navigation. In 2000, the US Supreme Court threw out the State of Washington's tanker navigation regulations because it was concluded that the state regulations were preempted by federal law and USCG regulations, which they felt already comprehensively regulated oil tanker operation and navigation. The shipping industry's perspective of this decision can be read in an American Waterways article and the full US Supreme Court Decision is available at a Cornell University site.

If the primary responsibility of regulating tankers rests with the Coast Guard and Congress, and not the States, have any navigational rules and regulation improvements been proposed relevant to tank barge navigation in Buzzards Bay in recent years? Yes. In October 1998, the US Coast Guard First District (Boston) proposed rule making that would affect the transport of tank barges like the Bouchard No. 120. The proposed rule making, titled Regulated Navigation Area: Navigable Waters Within the First Coast Guard District addressed a wide range of issues. According to the Coast Guard,

the proposed rule would require four sets of measure for towing vessels and tank barges operating in the waters of the Northeastern United States, including positive control for barges, enhanced communications, voyage planning, and areas of restricted navigation. These measures should reduce the risk of oil spills from the many tank barges operating in the waters of the region, and so too reduce the risk of environmental damage to the unique and extremely sensitive marine environment.

However, after publishing the proposed rule making in October, in November, the US Congress passed Coast Guard Authorization Act of 1998, which enabled the USCG Commandant to immediately implement 4 out of 8 of the recommended rules for the northeast that regulated towing vessel and tank barge safety. It was felt the other rules would require changes in the national rules. The eight rules were actually originally based on ten recommendations made Regional Risk Assessment Team (RRAT), and were conveyed in the Regional Risk Assessment of Petroleum Transportation in the Northeast Territorial Waters of the United States, issued in June 1997. Some of the meetings for this group were at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy in Buzzards Bay. The First District Commander, under authority delegated from the Commandant, adopted in December 1998 the final rule titled "Regulated Navigation Area: Navigable Waters Within the First Coast Guard District "1998 Federal Register vol. 63 No. 250 Pages 71764-71771. Some concerns and rule delays were requested by tank barge operators which can be read in this American Waterways article

Thursday July 10 Updates

Half of Buzzards Bay remains closed to shellfishing, and it now appears likely that no new shellfish areas will be opened in Buzzards Bay until the results are received of this week's sampling of Buzzards Bay. Why has there been no new shellfish bed openings since May 22nd? While there have been a number of contributing factors, the state Department of Public Health is facing one of the biggest issues. There are no national guidelines or action limits for hydrocarbons in shellfish, particularly when dealing with the complex mixtures of hydrocarbons found in fuel oil. For some contaminants, like PCBs in bluefish, or mercury in freshwater fish, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health issues advisories for consumption by children, pregnant women, or the general public (see the DPH fish consumption advisory website). For drinking water, Massachusetts DEP, has very specific limits for contaminants (visit the DEP drinking water page), but again a complex mixture of hydrocarbons were observed in oil contaminated shellfish. Complicating matters is the fact that shellfish in some harbors may show "background" concentrations of hydrocarbons from boating activity, past chronic spills, and even old creosote pilings. The complexity of this problem has resulted in different states handling shellfish bed closures after oil spills in different ways. Because of the very uneven degree of oiling, even in the most heavily oiled areas of Buzzards Bay, DPH seems to be erring on the side of public safety until they better understand the natural depuration of hydrocarbons in shellfish in the most heavily oiled areas.

Thursday 9 AM UC Briefing Notes

[author's comments in brackets]

• Most areas have been cleaned and put into continual maintenance or passed IRAC inspections. A few areas like the Brandt Island area of Mattapoisett continue to have mechanical cleaning. Shoreline cleanup personnel number 100.
• IRAC inspections have been going well, and all inspected sites passed yesterday (vicinity of Gooseberry Point area of Westport to Dartmouth). [The BBP hopes to post an updated map tomorrow.]
• Cleanup Officials are continuing to schedule meetings with Mattapoisett residents and associations in hard hit areas. Mattapoisett Fire Chief Scott and cleanup officials indicated they would be reviewing areas with beach and sand replacement. The Town of Fairhaven's wetland consultant requested that the final beach elevation survey plan be prepared for the Long Island beach restoration site.
• Wildlife officials reported two more oiled loons were found in New Hampshire, bringing the total to 7 or 8 oiled birds that may have migrated to northern breeding grounds. Wildlife officials will determine whether the birds will require capture.
• The Logistics Section is working with residents to restore dirt road/cartway sites damaged by cleanup vehicles. One site has been restored, the strategy for the others will be developed after discussions with the property owners.
• Today is the last day of the current round of shellfish tissue testing for hydrocarbons. Samples are being sent to a laboratory in Texas, and the results are expected by the end of next week.
• Safety reported that there have been no injuries and no citizen volunteer activity was reported.
• The Finance Section Chief reported that to date, 476 claims have been filed, and cleanup costs are estimated to total $37.0 million.

Monday July 7 Updates and UC Briefing Notes

Cleanup officials were pleased that the July 4 holiday weekend passed with few complaints or issues arisng from the cleanup operations. In fact, most residents are reported to be pleased with the cleanup progress. There was also hope that some new shellfish resource areas will be opened by next week.

Monday 9 AM Briefing Notes

[author's comments in brackets]

• The July 4 holiday weekend passed without any significant oil-related problems reported. Other than the few beaches that are still being actively cleaned, cleanup crews are responding to occasional reports of oil on rocks, oil buried in sand, or a bather oiled by a tar ball. [The location of buried oil in one case could not be identified because it was based on second hand information. If residents discover any oil buried by shifting spring sands, it is important they call the Command Center or town officials with a precise location so cleanup crews can remove it.]
• IRAC inspections began 6:00 AM this morning in Dartmouth, taking advantage of the early morning tides. [The IRAC inspections by the Coast Guard, Massachusetts DEP, and town officials represent an approval of beach cleanup to agreed upon goals. Many IRAC inspections are expected this week because of favorable tides. Go to our IRAC page for an explanation of cleanup goals.]
• Last week, Fairhaven Fire Chief Francis requested an inspection of Angelica Rock off Wilbur Point, Sconticut Neck based on reports of oil from residents. Incident Commander Dave Barry reported that inspectors found tar ball splatters on the rocks this weekend, and said cleanup crews should have the small Island cleaned this week.
• Cleanup Officials have been continuing to meet with Mattapoisett residents from the Crescent Beach area [one of the heavier oiled areas in Buzzards Bay], and with officers of the resident association to address their concerns.
• Additional shellfish tissue testing will be conducted this week (roughly 55 samples will be taken). The Division of Marine Fisheries is awaiting a final review by the Department of Public Health before opening any new shellfish areas based on the last round of sampling.
• Logistics reported that the main project this week will be the demobilization of one of the command center trailers, and some equipment.
• The Finance Section Chief reported that to date, 464 claims have been filed, and cleanup costs are estimated to total $36.5 million.
• 101 persons are detailed to shoreline cleanup this morning.

After this morning's briefing, US Coast Guard Captain Mary Landry (Federal On Scene Coordinator) and Incident Commander Dave Barry (right) of Gallagher Marine (and representing the Responsible Party Bouchard Transportation), begin a Unified Command meeting and conference call with state and federal officials on cleanup activities and progress.

Thursday July 3 Updates and UC Briefing Notes

There will be no new shoreline cleanup plan issued this week, because there were no IRAC inspections because of unfavorable tides during the week. A new plan will be issued next week. It is likely a few beach segments durinng this week were reclassified from "Ongoing Cleanup" to "Maintenance" or "Ready for IRAC".

Thursday 9 AM Briefing Notes

• There are 175 Shoreline cleanup workers scheduled today. Operations reported that mid-day high tides are hampering cleanup efforts, but work schedules are being adjusted to take advantage of lower tides where practical. They have been responding to a few calls of oil on rocks. For the holiday weekend, cleanup personnel will be reduced to 24, with shifts beginning early in the morning to take advantage of lower tides.
• Fire Chief Francis of Fairhaven requested an updated copy of the IRAC sign-off list.
• Logistics Chief Howard Hile reported that the only significant projects ongoing are a fence repair at Barneys Joy, and demobilization of some heavy equipment.
• Tom O'Shea (MA Fish and Wildlife) noted that only one oiled bird had been found since June 18 when bird recovery responsibilities were transferred to the state's Fish and Wildlife Buzzards Bay field office. He also noted there was some light oiling observed on terns on Penikese Island.
• The Finance Section Chief reported that to date, 461 claims have been filed, and cleanup costs are estimated to total $36.2 million.

Monday June 30 Updates and UC Briefing Notes

There is a general sense among cleanup officials that we are at a turning point in the cleanup response, and major cleanup actions are winding down. In the coming weeks, the Operations section will work to get areas ready for IRAC inspections which could continue well into August.

UC Briefing Notes

[author's comments in brackets.]

• Operations Chief Joe Ledbetter noted major cleaning in most areas will soon be finished, and most Hotsys work should be terminated soon. Most areas will therefore put in the "Treated and in Maintenance" category. Cleanup crews will continue to monitor and cleanup these areas as needed while awaiting IRAC inspections by DEP and the Coast Guard. Total shoreline cleanup personnel detailed today is 177. [Cleanup crews have been recently reduced appreciably on weekends, partly because of beachgoer activity. This weekend, 58 personnel were detailed were deatailed to shoreline cleanup.]
• Cleanup workers will no longer be wearing their distinctive Tyvek suits in areas that have been cleaned and are in the "Treated and in Maintenance" category. Instead, workers will wear only gloves. The Safety Officer approved the change because of the light oiling remaining in these areas.
• The meeting with Fairhaven residents on Friday was characterized as going well, and residents were reported pleased with the cleanup progress. Fairhaven Fire Chief Francis was thanked for helping organize the event. Chief Francis was also told the small amount of buried oil discovered on the West Island beach had been removed.
• Because of mid-day high tides this week, and the July 4 holiday, there will be no IRAC inspections until July 7. Logistics is trying to ensure that cleanup activities do not interfere with any planned local holiday events.
• Restoration of the dirt roads in the Barneys Joy area is nearly complete, and residents were reported pleased with the work. Mass Audubon is helping select a seed mix for the planned reseeding operation. Some cow fencing will soon be repaired, and some Piping Plover warning wires will be moved.
• Surveys are being planned to evaluate beach elevations at the three beach replacement sites.
• As of yesterday, cleanup costs were estimated to total $35.8 million, and 452 claims have been filed.

Friday June 27 Updates

If a new shoreline cleanup plan was issued today, we will post it here on Monday. On our cleanup status page, you can now download a more detailed version of the status map. We have also added an IRAC segment map which may be useful to some. The new Download Data link at the top of this page is provided to assist in more readily exchanging data sets among planners, agency representatives, and consultants working on the spill cleanup.

Thursday June 26 Updates and UC Briefing Notes

After a cold rainy spring, summer instantly arrived this week, and the hot weather has brought crowds to the shore. Most schools let out last week in Massachusetts, and many summer residents will arrive in the next week. For many residents and visitors, this will be there first exposure to the oil spill. For the most part, the cold weather worked in favor of the cleanup crews, giving them a chance to clean most areas before the summer crowds arrived.

We have updated IRAC inspection status to yesterday's (June 25) close of business. We have also updated our status maps and created a GIS database that precisely matches the shoreline cleanup plann's segment status. Eight new areas were added, and our status map. If the beach inspections and approvals continue at their current rate, when would all IRAC inspections be complete? The graph below shows a continuation of current trends, which would suggest that beach inspections could continue until mid September. However, it is likely that IRAC inspections will speed up with time, so it is possible an earlier date could be achieved.



The picture below is an "after" shot of the new cobble and boulders placed in an area near Crescent Beach in Mattapoisett. Compare it to the photo of the area excavated first shown in the June 19 notes below. Camera angle is slightly different. We will see if we can find a picture of the original oiled rock field.

Thursday 9 AM Briefing Notes

[authors comments in brackets]

• Unified Command is developing a 30-day operating plan in light of the more routine cleanup operations that will continue into the summer.
• Operations section Chief Joe Ledbetter reported that the recent hot weather has released some oil trapped in cracks and crevices in heavily oiled areas. This was expected, but the amount of oil released was reported to be less than expected. For example, new oiled material on Barneys Joy amounted to a "baggie" size bagful. These heavily oiled areas still require some "wipe and toss," Hotsys work, and other cleanup techniques. He noted that cleanup crews are working hard to clean any remaining bathing beach areas, but with the hot weather, cleanup crews will avoid the more crowded beaches during weekends. About 190 persons remain detailed to shoreline cleanup. The Brandt Island, Mattapoisett area is one of the biggest cleanup challenges remaining.
• Tiny rice size granules of oil remain a nuisance to bathers in some areas. This prompted a discussion of information packets and baby oil distribution among the towns. Fairhaven Fire Chief Francis noted that in his town, the information and baby oil sample bottles are provided at Town Hall, where beach stickers area sold, beach parking lots, and at life guard stations. He noted the fire department and police department also had some of the baby oil bottles.
• Roll-off waste containers will soon be removed from the Fairhaven West Island Town beach. Fire Chief Francis said he would notify the public works department so they can schedule the re-grading of the parking lot. [The spring re-grading of the parking lot for resident parking was postponed this spring because the site was used as a staging area for cleanup operations.]
• Roads near Barneys Joy that were rutted during the wet spring because of cleanup vehicle traffic will be regraded and restored. Similar work can be expected soon at other sites.
• IRAC inspections were reported to be going well and 3 out of 4 sites passed yesterday. [These were in the area of Aucoot Cove. The one site that failed was a 100-foot stretch of beach at Peases Point, and cleanup crews will return there.] The Operations Section has implemented a pre-IRAC inspection program to identify problem areas. State On Scene Deputy Coordinator Rich Packard asked that an advance schedule be developed for IRAC inspections so that the designated municipal officials can have adequate advanced notification.
• The safety section chief reported no injuries, but heat stress is now a concern. Heat stress prevention techniques include adequate hydration of workers before startup, short shifts on Hotsys, and breaks in the shade when required.
  
• Mark Rasmussen reported no citizen volunteer activities.
• Wildlife reports that one of the rehabilitated birds had difficulties, was recaptured, treated at Tufts Veterinary school, and then later released. The bird mortality total on the board is 460, with 1 bird currently in rehab.
• The number of claims filed total 448. Cleanup costs to date are estimated to be $35.0 million.
• There was a brief discussion of the meeting scheduled for 7 PM Friday for Fairhaven residents at the Hastings Middle School (30 School Street) to discuss the oil spill cleanup status. click here to open MapQuest directions in a new window.).

Wednesday June 25 Updates

The only new items on our web site today is an updated cleanup status map based on last Friday's Cleanup Status report, and some updated graphics. At tomorrows briefing we are expecting many new shoreline areas to meet cleanup goals. Still, based on the rate of recent inspections, this process may likely continue well into the summer.

Tuesday June 24 Updates

Last Friday's shoreline cleanup plan is now posted. It appears that last week many areas that were classified as "Ready for IRAC" were reclassified as "Treated and in Maintenance." This probably reflects a reevaluation of sites last week prior to calling for the Coast Guard and DEP IRAC inspections. The plan also identifies areas where additional cleanup is required.

Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries has received and is reviewing shellfish tissue samples for hydrocarbon contamination. The results for many areas was favorable, but residents should not expect any new shellfish bed openings until after the July 4 holiday weekend.

IRAC shoreline inspections have been ramped up this week to take advantage of favorable tides. Municipalities are allowed up to two representatives to join agency inspectors. Any area that fails inspection must have cleanup crews return to address problems identified.

Monday June 23 Updates

The Buzzards Bay NEP did not attend this morning's briefing. It is our understanding that the work on Crescent Beach has been completed or is nearly complete. Shoreline cleanup personnel now number 185. There has been no change in shellfish bed classifications. A new shoreline cleanup plan was issued on Friday. We have not yet received it, but we should have it posted on Tuesday. Tides were unfavorable at the end of last week for IRAC inspections, but more inspections should be completed this week, given the late morning to early afternoon low tides.

One of our recent challenges has been to develop graph that adequately conveys the status of the cleanup. Today we changed the cleanup status graph above so it shows the number of segments instead of the number of miles. We changed this measure because the IRAC (cleanup) classification segments include many unoiled areas, so the measured miles of coast in each category is misleading. The IRAC shoreline cleanup segments actually total 2 to 3 times the actual number of miles oiled (93 miles had some level of oiling). By counting the number of segments (there are 115 segments with oil of 157 tracked), instead of miles in each category, we also avoid the bias from large classification segments. For example, the lightly oiled Naushon Island, which totals 22 miles (entire perimeter), had less than a mile of shoreline actually oiled.

Thursday June 19 Updates and UC Briefing Notes

This mornings Unified Command briefing was rescheduled to 9:00 AM. Yesterday's briefing summary was updated with information from the Command Center. Unified Command briefings will be reduced to Monday and Thursday mornings at 9 AM or as needed.

According to press accounts, the Bouchard Transportation Company issued a press release earlier this week stating that they had commissioned an independent evaluation of the volume of oil spilled by the Bouchard No. 120. According to Bouchard, the new analysis suggests "a good probability exists that the amount of oil was not more than 39,000 gallons." The analysis was included in a report provided to the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard has not publicly commented upon the findings presented in the report.

Thursday 9 AM Briefing Notes

• Wildlife reported 1 dead loon on Block Island, bringing the total to 460 birds dead. An oiled loon in the Sagamore area may be captured today. The one remaining Loon in Rehab may be released today in Lakeville. US Fish and Wildlife has asked Massachusetts Fish and Wildlife to collect and process all new reports of dead birds or other wildlife.
• Hotsys cleaning is ongoing near Brant and Crescent Beach. Stone and cobble removal and replacement commenced on a portion of Crescent Beach this morning. Shoreline cleanup personnel posted at 281. Some rock replacement may occur at Brant Beach later this week or next.
• Finance reports 6 new claims yesterday (5 of which were loss of income).
• Three new beach segments now meet IRAC cleanup goals. The areas include portions of Great Neck Wareham, Aucoot Cove, Marion, and Little Bay, Fairhaven. IRAC inspections may be suspended the remainder of this week because of unfavorable tides. A few recently inspected beaches did not meet IRAC guidelines. FOSC Captain Landry requested that cleanup crews conduct one final assessment before IRAC inspections are requested. SOSC Rich Packard suggested that IRAC inspections focus on some lightly oiled areas on the eastern shore of Buzzards Bay away from the more dynamic areas on the western shore. Cleanup officials have continued to meet with shoreline residents and neighborhood associations.

Wednesday June 18 Updates and Briefing Notes

The Command Center has moved to its new location at the Mattapoisett Fire station and nearby trailers. The 8 AM briefing today and tomorrow has been shifted to 11 AM because of the time of high tides. The Buzzards Bay NEP did not attend today's briefing, but it was reported to us that three segments along the east shore of the Wareham River were IRAC inspected, and meet cleanup goals. The areas were Long Beach, Wareham River East, and Minot Beach, which add another 6.1 miles to the approved clean area total. DMF has not yet received results from last weeks shellfish tissue testing for hydrocarbons. No shellfish openings are expected until the new data is reviewed. Fairhaven's Executive Secretary reported to us that they have suspended selling shellfish permits.

Additional information provided by the Command Center:

• OPERATIONS:Operations have been restricted by the tides. The operational period today will be from noon until 8 p.m. Work in Long Island and other areas is going well. Some hotsys breakdowns have restricted operations in some areas. As a result, extra hotsys will be on hand to use in the case of a breakdown. There was a conservation meeting in Mattapoisett yesterday and all permits are in place to start Crescent Beach tomorrow.
• ENVIRONMENTAL:Three segments were inspected yesterday and found to meet the IRAC requirements. [see revised cleanup status maps.]
• WILDLIFE:Community members are reminded to report any live or dead oiled wildlife to 571-283-2578. One oiled loon still remains in rehabilitation. Three plover clutches were found yesterday and a total of five more are expected.
• LOGISTICS: The Command Post has made a successful transition to the new Command Post in the Mattapoisett Fire House. The new phone number is 508-758-2368 and the fax number is 508-758-2384.
• FINANCE:1 claim was withdrawn yesterday, bringing the total to 425. The cleanup costs are estimated at 32.8 million.
• SAFETY:No injuries yesterday. All personnel were warned of impending thunderstorms tomorrow afternoon.
• UNIFIED COMMAND:The Unified Command briefs will be conducted on Mondays and Thursdays at 0900 hours until it's determined to do otherwise.

Tuesday June 17 Updates and Briefing Notes

We will be adding example photographs to the "IRAC" cleanup goals page. Also, please see our updated Cleanup Status Map.

8 AM Briefing Notes

[Author's comments in brackets]

• Operations: The reoiling seen yesterday was significantly less than the reoiling seen this weekend on Barneys Joy, Dartmouth, and in Mattapoisett, reinforcing the idea that the oil seen on the weekend was associated with the spring high tides that occurred. Because of high tides early in the morning this week, cleanup crews are scheduled currently from 12:00 noon to 8:00 PM. IRAC inspections are also being moved to late in the day, and some command center briefings will be moved to work around the tide schedule. [High tides are approximately 50 minutes later each day.]
• Beach replacement is nearly finished in Fairhaven, and town officials were reported to be pleased with the final conditions. Beach profiles appear to be maintained, and the site will be resurveyed next week after the beach has settled over several tidal cycles. Operations will return if further work needs to be done.
• Beach replacement is hoped to start on Thursday in Mattapoisett at Crescent Beach. The Mattapoisett Conservation Commission must still meet and issue a permit. [Crescent Beach may be the only other beach replacement site that will have the scale of work as the Long Island site. We previously reported up to seven sites would have sediment replacement, but at some of the sites, like the one on West Island, needed only the removal of surface cobbles by hand, and scraping of the entire beach surface with heavy equipment appeared to be unnecessary.]
• The Massachusetts DEP is coordinating with each affected town to have a representative participate in the IRAC surveys for beaches in their respective towns. [Go to the "IRAC" cleanup goals page to see the standards used.]
• On the board, cleanup personnel are posted at 294.
• The Logistics Chief has released information on the new command center, including the new phone (508-758-2368) and fax numbers (508-758-2384).
• Finance reports that cleanup cost estimates now total $32.5 million. Claims now total 426.
• Wildlife officials reported that Roseate Terns in Buzzards Bay are projected to hatch Thursday or Friday, and another clutch of Piping Plover will soon hatch on Barneys Joy. The one bird in Rehab may be released today. The Wildlife Rehab Center may soon be decommissioned and individual tasks for wildlife delegated to several area non-profits.
• Roughly 5000 informational packets will be distributed to affected Buzzards Bay area city and town halls for beach distribution. Additional packets could be prepared later in the summer depending upon demand. The packets contain oil spill information and baby oil to remove tarballs from skin.

Monday June 16 Updates and Briefing Notes

A new shoreline cleanup plan dated June 13 will be posted today.

We have posted a new Cleanup Status Map.

8 AM Briefing Notes

[Author's comments in brackets]

• Operations: What was characterized as a "very minor amount" of new oil was reported in Mattapoisett and Gooseberry Point, Westport this weekend. It is believed the very high spring tides this weekend contributed to the remobilizing of some oil.
• Shoreline cleanup personnel will be continuing Hotsys operations and maintenance operations. A crew of 6 has been detailed to maintenance cleaning on Ram Island. Snare boom will be removed from the New Bedford hurricane barrier. Officials continue to meet with residents and associations to discuss cleanup activity. Inspection teams will be visiting additional sites today to determine compliance with the IRAC guidelines. The Long Island beach replacement is going well according to the Fairhaven's Conservation Commission representative and a consultant hired by the town. On one section of the beach, the restoration is still waiting for pea-stone size material to stabilize the shore. One section still needs to be excavated. Cleanup officials assured the town representatives that work would continue until the town is satisfied with elevations and materials. Beach replacement at Crescent Beach Mattapoisett may begin on Thursday.
• On the Board, it was posted that 7520 cubic yards of oiled material has been collected, but this total does not include oiled rock and gravel removed during operations. Cleanup personnel are posted at 292.
• Entrix hauled out 12 lobster pots with snare boom attached on Friday to document the extent of submerged oil. Only 1 of the 12 pots had any oiling which was characterized as very light.
• The Logistics Chief reported that the Command Center will move Tuesday night to its new location on Rt. 6 Mattapoisett. The command center will be comprised of two trailers and additional space in the Mattapoisett Fire Station. New phone numbers will be announced in a press release.
• Finance reports that cleanup cost estimates now total $32.0 million. No updated claims total was available this morning.
• Wildlife officials reported that Roseate Terns in Buzzards Bay are projected to hatch later this week. A few tar balls washed ashore on Ram Island with this weekend's spring tides, and wildlife flagged the locations for cleanup crews. Once these are cleaned up, some maintenance on the Island could be suspended in light of the projected hatchings. [On the board, total bird mortality stands at 459 dead, with the breakdown, 180 captured, 1 in rehab, 18 released, 302 dead on arrival, and 157 died in facility.] An injured loon was found. The injury was not oil related, and wildlife officials transported the injured bird to Tufts Veterinary School.
• The Coalition announced that Professor Dennis Nixon of URI will be speaking tonight in the New Bedford at the Public Library at 7 PM. [The title of the meeting is "Discussion of Compensation Issues Related to the Bouchard-120 Oil Spill in Buzzards Bay".]
• Informational packets will be distributed to affected Buzzards Bay area city and town halls. The packets, which contain oil spill information and baby oil to remove tarballs from skin, are expected to be distributed by the municipalities at lifeguard stands, where beach stickers are sold, and at beach parking areas.

Friday June 13 Updates and Briefing Notes

Four additional shoreline segments now meet immediate response cleanup goals (IRAC guidelines), bringing the total to 10.47 miles.

8 AM Briefing Notes

[Author's comments in brackets]

• Operations: Work continues on the sediment and rock removal and replacement on Long Island, Fairhaven. Work could be completed as early as Sunday. Regular cleanup and maintenance work continues around Buzzards Bay. More areas will be inspected for compliance with IRAC guidelines.
• Small amounts of oil continue to wash ashore at Barneys Joy. Warming waters are believed to be releasing some oil attached to rocks. Today Entrix will haul out 12 lobster pots with snare boom attached to document the extent of submerged oil.
• Entrix sent out a dead cetacean (probably an Atlantic White Sided Dolphin) to a laboratory for a necropsy, but the carcass is not believed to be oil spill related.
• Wildlife officials reported more Piping Plover eggs were hatching around Buzzards Bay. One dead gannet carcass was found, bringing bird mortality to 457. Two days ago, oiled horseshoe crabs were brought to the wildlife center. [Horseshoe crabs come ashore to mate in the intertidal during spring tides (new and full moons) in June around Buzzards Bay.] They have been unable to catch the oiled loon in Allens Pond, or an oiled eider.
• Mark Rasmussen of the Coalition for Buzzards Bay and SOSC Bob Donovan stressed that it is important that all agencies and personnel record any dead animal finds during operations and report the information to the Command Center.
• Mike Hickey of DMF said results from this weeks shellfish samples would not be received until next week. He also indicated they were examining some dead bluefish to determine if their death was oil related.
• The Coalition will run its newspaper thank you add next Wednesday. They anticipate additional demand for the shoreline information packet with baby oil samples. Logistics stated they hand 3/4 of a ton of 4-ounce baby oil bottles onsite, ready to distribute.
• There are 343 shoreline cleanup personnel detailed today.
• Logistics Section Chief reported that due to phone system hookup delays, the move of the Command Center has been delayed until Tuesday night June 17. A press release will be issued with the new Command Center phone numbers.
• The finance section chief reports that 422 claims have been received, and estimated cleanup costs now total $30.7 million.

Thursday June 12 Updates and Briefing Notes

Yesterday there was a meeting in New Bedford about the Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) process that has commenced for the Bouchard No. 120 spill. The Buzzards Bay NEP will be adding a sub-page explaining the NRDA process, with updates on activity. This webpage will include links for relevant information.

Areas meeting cleanup (IRAC) guidelines have risen to 4.63 miles because of the addition of the North Side of Scraggy Neck, Bourne.

8 AM Briefing Notes

[Author's comments in brackets]

• The deputy Chief of Operations reported that 4-6 truckloads of clean cobble have already been added to Long Island, Fairhaven as part of the beach replacement there. Another two yards of clean material will be added today, then crews will commence removing oiled cobble from one remaining stretch of beach. Work on Long Island could be complete by Sunday or Monday. [This is the only beach replacement in Fairhaven. Work crews will likely move on to the sites in Mattapoisett next week.]
• Both Operations and Safety Section Chiefs noted that considerable media went to Long Island after the NRDA meeting and press event in New Bedford. So many were there that it interfered with operations. There will be a Fairhaven police detail to ensure that the hardhat and work boot requirements are met for access to the construction area. Reporters can still take pictures outside of the construction area, or inside the construction area if done in a safe manner. Fairhaven Harbormaster Gary Golas was thanked for arranging the town support for the operation.
• Safety reported one burn injury from a Hotsys. The injury was not severe, but the worker was sent home for the day.
• Entrix [Environmental Consultant] lead Jerry Hall reported they will be retrieving 12 snare covered lobster pots on Friday that were deployed at Barneys Joy as part of their ongoing operation to identify any submerged oil. The last round showed light to medium oiling on some of the lobster pots. Chain dragging and lobster pot testing has ceased elsewhere in Buzzards Bay because those tests have turned up no oil. All testing is currently focused on characterizing the submerged oil near Barneys Joy. [Submerged oil has only been found in the Barneys Joy area.].
• Because of Piping Plover hatchings, mechanical cleaning on Barneys Joy has ceased, and the number of shoreline cleanup personnel will be reduced.
• There are 343 shoreline cleanup personnel detailed today and 4.63 miles has now been signed off (North side of Scraggy Neck).
• Logistics Section Chief reports that there are still delays in the phone company setting up new lines for the planned new Command Center site in Mattapoisett. The move planned for Friday may be delayed.
• The finance section chief reports that 416 claims have been received, and estimated cleanup costs now total $30.2 million.
• Now that finals are over, some Mass Maritime Cadets attended this morning's briefing to learn more about the Incident Command System. Yesterday some Coast Guard personnel from MSO Philadelphia were present as well.
• Wildlife officials are awaiting the latest reports about plover hatchings in Buzzards Bay. So far three plover chicks have at Barneys Joy. There will be an attempt to capture 1 oiled Eider and 1 oiled Loon that have been reported. One oiled Terrapin turtle [a Massachusetts endangered list species] was brought to the wildlife center.
• SOSC Bob Donovan noted that a new shoreline cleanup plan has been released [see link above.]

Wednesday June 11 Updates and Briefing Notes

In this morning's briefing, an important milestone was achieved when Bob Donovan, Deputy Director of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection announced that the state had made its first sign-off of a cleaned area, Horseneck Beach in Westport, a length of about 3.2 miles. Altogether 93 miles of Buzzards Bay shoreline were characterized as oiled to some degree, including areas with sporadic tarball landings. This action means the beach meets the cleanup criteria specified in the Immediate Response Action Cleanup goals or IRAC. As noted by Mr. Donovan's comments in the briefing below, signed off areas will continue to be cleaned if new tarballs arrive. The IRAC specifies cleanup goals agreed upon by MA DEP, the USCG, and the Responsible Party (Bouchard). The IRAC covers various shoreline types including "Heavily Utilized, Public Recreational Sand Beaches," "Less Utilized, Semi-Public and Private Sand Beaches," as well as mixed sand and gravel, rip rap, groins, docks, and rocky area cleanup recommendations.

Some state and federal agency staff were preparing for today's noontime meeting at the New Bedford Whaling Museum on the Damage Assessment phase of this oil spill. The meeting is being hosted by US Senator John Kerry, and state Senator Mark Montigny.

8 AM Briefing Notes

[Author's comments in brackets]

• Chief of Operations, Joe Ledbetter, was very pleased with yesterday's progress, and the warmer weather and mid-day low tides are very favorable to cleanup. Work on the Long Island oiled beach removal and replacement was "going wonderfully." The excavation and removal of oiled materials was continued yesterday. The excavation released some trapped oil that was captured on snare boom. New clean stone has been ordered and will soon be delivered.
• On West Island, Hotsys work was also productive, a mechanic was detailed to the site and the equipment was characterized as performing optimally. Other cleanup actions like rock "wipe and toss" and tarball pickup was also proceeding on the site.
• The warm weather yesterday caused the release of some pockets of oil trapped in rocks and jetties at some heavily oiled sites that are being cleaned. Characterized as "bleeding of oil," the Operations Chief said this was expected as the weather warms, and is a good thing, because they find trapped oil that may have been missed. These areas are limited in size, often a small portion of a jetty or rock field. Areas where some of this seeping oil was cleaned included Neds Point (Mattapoisett), Planters Island, and Butlers Point (Marion). Wherever this new oil is found, it is cleaned and snare boom is being applied to the rock crevices.
• Wherever Piping Plover are hatching, mechanical cleaning such as Hotsys and use of vehicles on the shore ceases, and work crew numbers are reduced to ensure the safety of the hatchlings. Residents of Barneys Joy, a plover nesting area, will notice this reduction in cleanup activity.
• DEP Deputy Director Bob Donovan, State On Scene Coordinator for the cleanup operations, announced that the state "signed off" on the cleanup of one area of Buzzards Bay: Horseneck Beach [segments 4 and 5, 3.2 miles]. Mr. Donovan stressed that this action by the state means only that this beach meets the cleanup criteria specified in the Immediate Response Action Cleanup goals or IRAC. He also stressed that this action does not mean the state or Coast Guard will not take further cleanup action on the beach, and any new appearances of tarballs will be cleaned. Mr. Donovan acknowledged that for the type of area approved [a very lightly oiled sandy beach], it was relatively easy for all parties to come to agreement on the success of the cleanup. He cautioned, however, that meeting the immediate response cleanup goals [IRAC] for other areas like rock and cobble areas may not be so easy to achieve, and that the Commonwealth will not sign off any beach unless it meets the cleanup criteria.
• There are 357 shoreline cleanup personnel detailed today. A total of 6,698 cubic yards of oiled material has been collected to date.
• Cleanup teams discovered much of the oil sitings reported at Penzance Point in Woods Hole was old oil from some earlier spill, and not oil from the Bouchard No. 120. A few spots of Bouchard No. 120 oil were found at the Knob at the entrance of Quissett Harbor in Falmouth, and these were cleaned.
• Wildlife officials reported that many Plover chicks have hatched on Gooseling Beach in Rhode Island, an area that had very light oiling impacts. More Piping Plover chicks are expected to hatch at nesting sites around Buzzards Bay. One new oiled dead loon was reported today.
• Logistics Section Chief reports that the phone company will only be able to connect 2 of the 12 required phone lines to the planned new Mattapoisett location for the command center. If the phone company cannot complete the new connections by the weekend, the move of the Command Center planned for Friday may be delayed.
• The finance section chief reports that 412 claims have been received, and estimated cleanup costs now total $29.7 million.
• Mark Rasmussen, Coalition for Buzzards Bay Director stated that, on the Unified Command's request, the Coalition will be placing newspaper thank you ads, listing all the volunteers who have worked on the oil spill cleanup.
• The Coalition will host a lecture by Dennis Nixon of URI at the New Bedford Public Library Monday June 16 at 7 PM. Dr. Nixon will speak on his experiences with the North Cape oil spill at Moonstone Beach RI.
• The information officer noted this mornings press reports about the launching of a criminal investigation of the accident by the US Attorney.
• Yesterday, the Unified Command met with Tri-State Bird Inc., and the many volunteers that worked with Tri-State to save oiled birds. The Unified Command thanked them for their hard work. Although the number of birds that survived was less than the original goal set, one success story was that the bird rescuers were able to save some loons, a species that is characterized as very hard to rehabilitate. [More than half the birds that died were Loons.]
• Safety Officer Brian Gallant again reminded agency staff wear hardhats at the Long Island site because of the excavation and heavy equipment in use.
• USCG Captain Mary Landry, Federal On Scene Coordinator for the cleanup operations, read a poignant letter that she received from a summer resident arriving at Buzzards Bay. The woman who wrote the letter explained that her daughter was walking along shore. Before she realized it, her daughter had fallen into the water and was also apparently choking on candy. Coincidentally, Safety Officer Gallant was at the site overseeing cleanup operations. He observed the child's fall, and promptly rescued her from the water, and dislodged what she was choking on. The resident stated that although the oil spill was not a good thing, she greatly appreciated the presence of the safety officer and thought he deserved a medal. Gallant received a round of applause from the Command Center.

Tuesday June 10 Updates and Briefing Notes

In this mornings briefing, the beach stone excavation and replacement work which began yesterday on Long Island, Fairhaven was discussed. According to Fairhaven Harbormaster Gary Golas, the Fairhaven Shellfish Warden (Dan Costa), and a wetlands consultant hired by the Fairhaven Conservation Commission to supervise the work (in addition to the Licensed Site Professional normally present for hazardous waste cleanups) were present at yesterdays work. Click on the picture below to see more pictures of the beach sediment replacement work. The pictures taken were taken yesterday (June 9) late afternoon after excavation had ceased, and the incoming tide had covered the excavated area.

8 AM Briefing Notes

[Author's comments in brackets]

• Chief of Operations, Joe Ledbetter, was very pleased with yesterday's progress, and looks forward to today's warmer weather because it softens the oil, and makes it easier to clean up. This week, mid day low tides are facilitating cleanup. Cleanup crews were using 30 hotsys yesterday around the bay, and there were few breakdowns [one area "looked like a steam bath"]. There are 357 shoreline cleanup personnel detailed today. A total of 6,353 cubic yards of oiled material has been collected to date.
• The first day of work on Long Island went well [see our photos]. Excavators removed a lot of oiled material [we observed 3 haul outs filled with oiled cobble]. The work remobilized some oil which was trapped by boom and absorbents. Clean stone is being delivered today.
• Crews on Penikese found areas with new oil or tarballs. Cleanup crews will clean the areas today. In Falmouth small tar balls, and some larger oiled rafts of material were found on Penzance Point and the Knob in Quissett. Most of the oil was in the form of occasional small tarballs, but some larger mats were also found. Overall, Falmouth has been one of the lightest oiled Buzzards Bay communities. In April, the town was extensively surveyed, and detailed surveys of beaches were conducted in May, with additional spot checks of the town. The oiled areas were discovered as part of a new detail SCAT survey of more remote areas of Falmouth. The survey teams and cleanup crews will clean the area and expand the search today.
• Wildlife officials reported that the first three piping plover chicks had hatched on Barneys Joy today. Many other chicks are expected to hatch soon. Two of the eggs were in a nest in which the male had some oil on his plumage, and transferred some oil to the eggs. There was much relief that these chicks--a US endangered species--had hatched. The cleanup teams have been working with wildlife officials to minimize environmental impacts. With chicks hatching, cleanup crew will keep a greater distance from the nesting areas. The chicks typically fledge in 45 days. Wildlife officials may seek to capture a previously reported oiled Loon outside the area. There have been no additional bird mortalities.
• Logistics reports that the Command Center will be ready for a move on Friday night to its new Mattapoisett location.
• The safety officer requested agency staff wear hardhats at the Long Island site because of the excavation and heavy equipment in use. In a rare request because of recent weather, the use of sun block was requested for all outdoor crews.
• Mike Hickey of MA Division of Marine Fisheries reported that shellfish samples were collected for testing yesterday, and other sites would be sampled again today. Results are not expected until next week. [No new shellfish beds will be considered until the results are received.]
• The finance section chief reports that 410 claims have been received, and cleanup estimates now total $29.2 million.

Shown in pink are oiled areas that have been treated and are in maintenance. The miles in this category are no longer being calculated, but the BBP will attempt to track this information based on the status reported in the shoreline cleanup plans.

Monday June 9 Updates and Briefing Notes

Past oil spills in Buzzards Bay: Just how many gallons were really spilled?

Bouchard No. 120 is really the second largest spill for Buzzard Bay

Do you think it is difficult to estimate the volume of an oil spill? Well in the case of the 1969 Florida barge oil spill, and the Bouchard 65 spill in 1974; keeping straight the final estimated volume of oil spilled has proved next to impossible. The official final estimates for both these spills are different than what has been widely reported. An upshot of this is that the recent Bouchard No. 120 spill is in fact the second largest spill since the 1969 Florida spill, not the third largest, as we previously reported.

The Buzzards Bay NEP first reported the Florida oil spill as 183,000 gallons, based on our 1991 Management Plan, and then revised it to 175,000 in the interim, because numerous other sources reported the smaller quantity as the volume of the spill. However, the actual volume of the spill appears to have been 189,000 gallons. In the case of the first Bouchard 65 spill in 1974, (there was a second Bouchard 65 spill in 1977), the volume spilled was likely to have been between 11,000 and 37,000 gallons (we are still trying to get a good source of information), but far less than the 165,000 gallons previously posted. Click here to read more details.

8 AM Briefing Notes

[Author's comments in brackets]

• Because of mid-day low tides, cleanup is expected to go well this week. In Fairhaven, Hotsys now number 15. Hotsys will also be deployed elsewhere [including Mattapoisett, Marion, and Dartmouth]. The Chief of Operations has brought in more mechanics to handle the added number of Hotsys around the bay, and to minimize downtime from equipment failure. [These hot water wash systems require a lot of attention and maintenance.] Altogether, 356 personnel are detailed to shoreline cleanup.
• Cleanup crews will be working to remove small areas of tarballs on Penikese Island (Gosnold) and Converse Point (Marion).
• Long Island beach sediment removal and replacement will proceed this week.
• Weather: Seas of 1-3, but chance of thunderstorms. [the light seas or rains will not impede operations, but whenever thunderstorms arrive they impede boat surveys and shoreline cleanup.]
• There was no wildlife report today. The Operations Section, wildlife officials, and Audubon volunteers continue to work together to minimize impacts to plover habitat during cleanup. No chicks have yet hatched.
• The Logistics Section reported that the Command Center move should proceed as planned for this weekend. By next Monday, personnel and equipment will be at the new location on Rt. 6 in Mattapoisett a short distance from the fire station. This weekend, the field decontamination station was moved off the Mattapoisett Town Wharf, and now resides at the Mattapoisett DPW facility.
• The Finance Section reported that claims were up to 408 as of Friday. Cost estimates were not calculated yet this morning.
• On Wednesday, June 11, from 12:00 to 2:00 PM at the Whaling Museum in New Bedford, US Senator John Kerry and state Senator Mark Montigney will host a meeting to explain the Natural Resource Damage Assessment phase of this oil spill.

Friday June 6 Updates and Briefing Notes

In light of yesterday's meeting in Fairhaven described below, Captain Mary Landry (Federal On-Scene Coordinator) and Bob Donovan, MA DEP (and the State On-Scene Coordinator) both stressed to the assembled agency teams and contractors that they needed to better communicate to residents the cleanup progress being made. Because of confusion over the terms used in the Shoreline Cleanup Plan, the document will be revised and updated to better summarize the progress being made. They stated it was important to provide the public with clear and better organized information, to better address their concerns, and to ensure residents are satisfied with the flow of information.

8 AM Briefing Notes

[Author's comments in brackets]

• Weather: west wind diminishes to 10-15 knots seas 1-3, and generally weather and tides are improving, though there may be some rain this weekend. Tides will be more favorable for cleanup beginning next week.
• Yesterday was characterized as productive and segments in Fairhaven were reclassified as "Treated and in Maintenance." These areas included Popes and Manhattan beaches.
• About 25% of the work in Fairhaven now involves hotsys (hot water wash). The 11 hotsys systems in use in Fairhaven will be increased to 15 next week. The hotsys are being used in Mattapoisett and Dartmouth as well.
• The operations section is waiting for the permit approvals from all agencies involved for oiled beach gravel and cobble removal and replacement. Work is tentatively scheduled to start Monday of next week (probably areas on Long Island, West Island, and Crescent Beach will be tackled first). The work will probably proceed by first removing large boulders on beaches to a beachside decontamination area. After the large boulders are removed and cleaned, heavy equipment will be used to scrape the "pavement" (term for the hardened oil-sand-gravel mixing covering these areas). New clean stone and cobble will be placed of similar size and type, then the cleaned large boulders will be returned.
• Yesterdays test of a particular wash solution did not prove as effective as hoped. This washing solution may be retested on a warmer sunny day when the oil is more fluid. The washing solutions that are being tested will only have expanded use if they are found to be more effective than the Hotsys and other techniques being employed.
• Two SCAT teams are deployed today. One is surveying areas along the Elizabeth Islands by boat. The second team is in the Brandt Island Mattapoisett area.
• As requested by the Town of Fairhaven, the buried oil at West Island beach was removed in advance of the Boy Scout camp this weekend.
• Cleanup officials met with Fairhaven residents and town officials on West Island yesterday. Some residents were concerned about the fact that the posted shoreline cleanup plan [on this website] indicated that some beach inspections were completed by June 1, but the residents felt that the plan was not accurate. Some were also frustrated by the pace of cleanup, or did not understand whether the cleanup had been completed or would be ongoing at a particular beach. Some town officials felt that only fifty people detailed to the town that day was inadequate, although it was later determined that in fact 87 were detailed to the town for shoreline cleanup.
  
  [While some of the issues raised appeared to have been addressed during the meeting in Fairhaven, the outcome of the meeting prompted much internal discussion at this mornings briefing. The Chief of Operations noted that tremendous progress has been made in Fairhaven in the past few weeks. Some areas, like the cleanup of the marsh on Long Island had been delayed because of decision-making on how to handle the sensitive area, not that it was overlooked. At the Unified Command meeting later this morning, some of the issues (especially communication with the towns and residents and reporting measures of success) were to be further discussed.]
• Fish and Wildlife officials are coodinating with Mass Audubon on scheduling monitors for areas where there are hatching piping plovers.
• A new shoreline cleanup plan will be posted.
• USFWS and USCG met with a resident of Mishaum Point. They explained that the cleanup operation on one portion of the beach is being suspended due to plover nesting, but will resume in July.
• Logistics report that equipment for rock removal and new hotsys will arrive on time for next weeks operations.
• Operations is looking at alternative strategies for cleaning a rocky stretch along Mishaum Point. Maintenance crews are visiting Ram Island (6-12 going out today) for maintenance.
• Today 354 personnel are detailed to shoreline cleanup. As of yesterday, 6,223 cubic yards of oiled material had been collected.
• Cleanup costs are estimated at $27.5 million to date, with 392 claims filed
• One bird is in rehab and two new dead birds were found, raising the total to 456 dead. Oiled birds that died in Rehab went out for post mortem analysis.

Thursday June 5 Updates and Briefing Notes

Captain Landry referenced this morning's article in the Cape Cod Times, which published the transcript of communication between the US Coast Guard Woods Hole Group and the captain of the Carl Rey, a tugboat that reported seeing an oil slick. The transcript also included communication between the Woods Hole Group, and the captain of the Evening Tide, the tugboat towing the Bouchard No. 120 barge. The Cape Cod Times obtained the tape under a Freedom of Information Act request to the Woods Hole Group. Captain Landry indicated that the US Coast Guard Providence Marine Safety Office (MSO) is conducting the casualty investigation, and cannot comment on the published transcripts.

For an oil spill on Buzzards Bay, the captain of the vessel must immediately report the spill to the Providence Coast Guard MSO office. The Woods Hole Group, which monitors radio traffic in Buzzards Bay, and responds to emergencies, is not directly involved with the accident investigation. This Coast Guard station often receives Freedom of Information requests for communication transcripts from their station when there is an accident or incident at sea.

Those following the accident should read the CCT article and the published transcripts. To help readers better understand the article, we have prepared the map below based on the published information. One apparent error in the article is that buoy BB is incorrectly described (parenthetically) as being "the buoy that marks the entrance to Buzzards Bay." This is incorrect. BB is on a line between Wilburs Point, Fairhaven and Pasque Island, 1/3 of the way into Buzzards Bay.


We wish to stress that the Buzzards Bay NEP is not involved with the investigation, nor privy to any unpublished details. The map shown is our own interpretation, and may not be correct. The transcripts give only a partial picture of events because no times are given, and because it does not include communications between the Evening Tide captain and the Coast Guard's MSO Providence office, which did occur according to the Carl Rey captain as noted in the transcripts.

On the first day of the spill, there was considerable confusion about the location of th