Friends of Casco Bay has been monitoring the situation at Willard Beach in South Portland, where an oil sheen was reported August 24th.
Update as of September 21, 2021:
After an oil spill was first reported on Willard Beach in South Portland on August 24, the beach was closed to the public for a three day cleanup effort. The cleanup was conducted by the US Coast Guard, Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the City of South Portland, and Clean Harbors Environmental Services. Cleanup crews deployed a temporary containment dam to collect oily waste. They cleaned stormwater drains, pipes, and catch basins between Willard Beach and the source of the spill on Cottage Road, near the former Hill Service Station. Ultimately, the cleanup crews removed approximately 2,000 pounds of oily seaweed, debris, and sorbent cleanup materials.
Casco Baykeeper Ivy Frignoca toured the site during the second day of cleanup. By then, Maine Department of Environmental Protection’s trained response staff and the Clean Harbors team had swiftly contained and cleaned most of the spill.
“It was reassuring to see wading waterfowl fishing in the area and clean sand around the stormwater outfall pipe,” Ivy observed. “I did not see any visible sheen in the water flowing from the outfall or in the water lapping the beach. I left the site relieved that the Bay had not been seriously harmed.”
Ivy was allowed on site because she is specially trained as a participant with the Maine New Hampshire Area Committee, the group of agencies, companies, and nonprofits that respond to oil spills in our region.
Following the cleanup, the DEP collected six beach core samples for lab analysis. The lab results showed that all core samples contained quantities of hydrocarbons below guideline values, and therefore posed no risk to human health. Willard Beach was deemed safe for public use and officially reopened on Saturday, August 28.
The cause of the oil spill remains under investigation by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. The findings and further actions will be made public when the investigation concludes, and we will share them with you.
Update as of August 26, 2021 at 3:00 PM:
Ivy Frignoca, Casco Baykeeper with Friends of Casco Bay, visited the site of an oil spill at Willard Beach to assess environmental impacts and cleanup progress
Ivy was permitted on site at Willard Beach this morning to talk with response personnel about the oil spill that fouled the beach and Simonton Cove in South Portland. Ivy was allowed on site because she is specially trained as a participant with the Maine New Hampshire Area Committee, the group of agencies, companies, and nonprofits that respond to oil spills in our region.
Willard Beach is temporarily closed and will reopen as soon as response personnel deem it is safe and clean.
“The best way the public can help the response team is to stay away from Willard Beach,” said Ivy. “Attempts to access boats, walk dogs, or use the playground requires response staff to leave their important work and ask visitors to leave. The less distraction they have, the sooner they can complete the cleanup.”
The cause of the spill is being thoroughly investigated and appropriate regulatory action will follow. More importantly for Casco Bay, the response crews from the State and from Clean Harbors have worked diligently to clean the storm sewer system, remove contaminated seaweed and sand from the beach, and use sorbent pads, booms, and other equipment to absorb and separate oil from contaminated water. The response team also responded to the South Portland site where oil products were introduced to the storm sewer system.
The public can also help by reporting oiled wildlife or any sheens visible on the water adjacent to Simonton Cove that may have escaped detection. Friends of Casco Bay hosted a training this spring on how to recognize an oil sheen. Any observations can be reported with the Water Reporter app, and Friends will share the information with DEP and the US Coast Guard.
During Ivy’s 90 minutes on site, she saw healthy water fowl (with no oiled feathers) wading, diving, and feeding in the intertidal zone and shallow water adjacent to the contaminated outfall pipe. Ivy saw no sheen coming from the outfall pipe but did see some contaminated material adjacent to it. The response team will continue to work to remove all contaminated matter so the beach and cove will be safe for humans and wildlife. They are waiting for lab test results to identify the oil product.
“If you see any of the response team as you walk the neighborhood, please thank them,” said Ivy. “The photos of the site yesterday compared with what I observed today confirm how hard this team has worked to decontaminate the beach, preserve water quality, and protect wildlife.”
Original post published August 25, 2021:
Here is the latest official information from the U.S. Coast Guard and Maine Department of Environmental Protection regarding the spill:
SOUTH PORTLAND, August 25, 2021 — The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), and the City of South Portland are all involved in the joint response to an oil spill that reached the City’s storm water drainage system and subsequently discharged into the water at Willard Beach yesterday afternoon. Crews initially responded last night and returned this morning to continue proper cleanup and remediation efforts.
A responsible party has been identified and no additional discharge has occurred since last night, nor is further discharge from the source anticipated. Maine DEP is the lead agency overseeing response operations with the USCG and City of South Portland representatives supporting. Clean Harbors Environmental Services has been contracted and has been on scene actively conducting cleanup operations, which includes collecting any contaminated seaweed and working with the City’s Water Resources Protection Department to collect any remaining oily waste in the storm water drainage system in efforts to prevent any further discharge into the water at Willard Beach. The length of the cleanup effort is currently unknown.
Willard Beach will remain closed to the public for the remainder of today. Reopening will be assessed daily as cleanup efforts continue and results from soil/sand testing are analyzed. Neighbors in the vicinity may notice some petroleum-related odors as a result of this spill; however, authorities indicate there is no danger to public health.
“This incident highlights the strong partnerships we have at the federal, state, and local level here in South Portland. This is a team effort, and we certainly appreciate the cooperation of all involved agencies. The safety of the public is our primary concern,” said Captain Amy Florentino, U.S. Coast Guard, Commander Sector Northern New England.
Casco Baykeeper Ivy Frignoca says, “We are as concerned as you are when we hear about spills like this. We are grateful for how quickly the Coast Guard and state and local officials responded and contained the spill. These responders are well-trained and deeply committed to protecting our waters. They are keeping us up to date as they do their job. When it is appropriate, I will tour the scene with these officials for insight into the spill and the cleanup.”
We work closely with the U.S. Coast Guard, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, and other members of the Maine and New Hampshire Area Committee, the federally mandated group of officials whose responsibility is to respond to oil and hazardous material spills in our waters. In addition to government agencies, many individuals from oil spill response organizations, industry, and environmental groups, including Friends of Casco Bay, participate in the Committee’s planning process and play key roles in spill preparedness throughout the region.