Media Update #4

RICHMOND, Calif., February 23, 2021 — A Unified Command has concluded cleanup and recovery efforts in the Richmond area as shoreline cleanup and assessment teams did not detect any sheen on the water or shoreline over the weekend, marking 48 hours of no identified sheen.

The Unified Command was comprised of the U.S. Coast Guard, California Department of Fish and Wildlife Office of Spill Prevention and Response, Contra Costa Health Services, and Chevron.

The Command had led response efforts to a Feb. 9, 2021 pipeline discharge at the Chevron Richmond Refinery’s Long Wharf. The incident remains under investigation, but preliminary results found that an estimated 500 to 750 gallons of diesel/water flush mix was discharged from a quarter-inch hole in a pipe used to return a variety of excess oils and products to the refinery for reprocessing.

The Command had agreed to end response efforts once no sheen had been observed for 48 hours. Although crews had not observed sheen on open waters of the San Francisco Bay since Feb. 12, there were trace amounts of sheen observed last week in standing water along the rocky shoreline adjacent to the wharf.

No impacted wildlife were observed as result of this response. Long term environmental impacts are not expected from the incident, but as a precaution CDFW scientists took samples of water, sediment and mussels in the area. The results are pending in a laboratory.

For publicly available information on the response, please visit https://recoveredoillineleak.com/.

Media Update #3

RICHMOND, Calif., February 12, 2021 — Cleanup and recovery efforts neared completion today in the Richmond area as shoreline assessment teams and aerial drones monitored land and water for residue from Tuesday’s leak at the Chevron Long Wharf.

This morning’s assessment, which included unmanned aerial surveillance flights, did not detect any sheen on the bay. The only cleanup work still underway is along the waterfront next to the wharf. Keller Beach and public access points on Western Drive have reopened. Meanwhile, protective booms deployed near the Eel Grass Beds and the south side of Brooks Island remain in place as a precaution.

Remedial efforts will transition in the coming days to cleanup as needed if any additional recoverable product is found. Operations at the wharf have resumed. The pipe that was the source of Tuesday’s leak of 12-18 barrels (approximately 500-750 gallons) of a diesel-water mix has been isolated and is not operating.

“This week’s spill response was a clear demonstration of the importance of our valuable port partnerships and continuous training making sure we were all ready to respond to the call as quickly and safely as possible.”  said Senior Chief Jeremy Thomas, Coast Guard Federal Incident Commander.

“The rapid response to this incident, along with the comprehensive, proactive efforts taken to protect our valuable natural resources, has once again shown California to be a worldwide leader in oil spill response,” said Lt. Kyle Hiatt with CDFW-OSPR.

“I thank all the crews who responded safely and expertly to bring this spill quickly under control and clean it up,” said Chevron Fire Chief Greg Bosworth. “We also thank our neighbors for their patience and support. We will learn from our investigation of this incident and continue to focus on safe and reliable operations.”

Contra Costa Health Services said, “As the Local Government On Scene Coordinator, Contra Costa Health Services wishes to thank all parties responding to this incident for their high-level of collaboration to minimize the impact to the surrounding community, marine habitat and natural resources.”

Air monitoring by authorities has not detected any levels that would result in health impacts or injuries. There are currently no public health orders from Contra Costa County pertaining to this incident. For additional questions or concerns regarding public health, please check the County Health Alerts at https://cchealth.org.

There has been no impact on wildlife as a result of this incident. The Oiled Wildlife Care Network (OWCN) reported Thursday that they were demobilizing. If anyone encounters potentially affected wildlife, they should stay away from the animal and report the sighting to the OWCN at 1-877-UCD-OWCN (1-877-823-6926).

The Unified Command responding to the spill is comprised of the U.S. Coast Guard, California Department of Fish and Wildlife Office of Spill Prevention and Response, Contra Costa Health Services, and Chevron.

For publicly available information on the response including Frequently Asked Questions, please visit https://recoveredoillineleak.com/.

NOTE: Updated 2/16/2021 at 1518 hours to correct the quote provided by Coast Guard Federal Incident Commander.