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On March 9th, Mayor Barlow and City Emergency Management personnel learned of an oil spill in the Oswego Harbor coming from the Oswego Harbor Power Station.
Upon investigation, plant personnel, assisted by representatives of the U.S. Coast Guard and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, confirmed evidence of an oil leak on site at the facility and immediately commenced operations to identify and isolate the source, preventing further introduction of oil into the harbor. Simultaneously, cleanup crews deployed booms to contain the spread and remove any oil visibly present in the harbor utilizing special sponges.
City officials are working closely with Plant Management, the U.S. Coast Guard and NYS Department of Environmental Conservation spill response to coordinate the response, limit the impact on wildlife, limit the spread, and clean up the spill as quickly and efficiently as possible. Work is being conducted in the harbor in a manner that will allow the removal of booms and barriers back toward the facility as areas are cleaned. According to Fire Chief and Emergency Management Director Randy Griffin, in “an effort that will allow Wright’s Landing Marina to open as scheduled, yet to capture as much of the spill as possible and limit the impact on wildlife.”
Work continues in an effort to assess the source and cause of the leak, as well as the volume of oil that may have spilled into the harbor. Cleanup operations have greatly diminished signs of oil in the harbor and teams will continue to closely monitor conditions and respond accordingly if new sightings occur.
As is the case with any unintentional introduction of oil into the environment, there is the possibility that wildlife may be negatively impacted. Clean up teams are on constant lookout for affected wildlife, which thus far has been minimal. In the event that members of the public encounter wildlife with visible signs of oil exposure, please contact 1-800-899-4672.
