Americas News
Barge Owner Fined $405,000 for Spill
The owners of a barge that spilled oil into a U.S. river during an illegal salvage operation, resulting in more than $22 million in publicly funded cleanup expenses, has been fined $405,000, the Washington State Department of Ecology has said.
The agency levied the fine against Bret A. Simpson and his company, Principle Metals LLC, for the spill in the Columbia River, which took place December 2010 and January 2011.
Oil leaked from the barge Davy Crockett during an illegal in-water scrapping operation, resulting in a 295-day, multi-state response costing $22 million in federal funds and more than $680,000 in state money.
"Responding to the Davy Crockett was complex, time-consuming and costly," said Ecology Spills Program Manager Dale Jensen.
"This incident was illegal and completely preventable – and the resulting spill harmed the Columbia River ecosystem.
"Had Mr. Simpson or his company sought a permit to dismantle the Davy Crockett in water, we would have refused."
Responders stabilised and then contained, removed, and disposed of the vessel, an operation that required the construction of a cofferdam to keep more oil and other pollutants from leaking into the river.
They eventually removed about 38,000 gallons of oil from the barge.
Simpson, who did not assist or cooperate with the cleanup, pleaded guilty to two criminal violations of the U.S. Clean Water Act in July 2012.
Simpson acknowledged failing to report a discharge of oil and unlawfully discharging oil in the river near Camas, Washington, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
