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CHARLESTON, S.C. – Coast Guard pollution responders are continuing to respond to reports of pollution in Charleston City, Bristol and Ashley River marinas Sunday.
Boaters reported pools of thick, purple diesel-type product pooling in the marinas Saturday evening.
A decision was made late Saturday night to federalize the response in order to use the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund for cleanup, but by Sunday morning most of the product had dissipated and became unrecoverable due to heavy rainfall so the fund was not needed.
The heaviest pockets of product are within City Marina, and a mile-long and quarter-mile wide sheen is visible in the Ashley River from the Highway 17 bridge to Tradd Street.
Sunday morning City Marina deployed additional boom and absorbent pads.
Responders expect any remaining product to further dissipate or burn off in the sunlight Sunday, said Petty Officer 1st Class Joshua Nichols, command duty officer at Coast Guard Sector Charleston.
The amount and source of the pollution remains unknown.
The original press release is available here.