Light oil discharged into Hoquiam River from former mill site

HOQUIAM — A Coast Guard incident management team has responded to the waters off of Hoquiam’s Harbor Paper Mill site after receiving reports of a sheen coming from the Hoquiam River. The sheen was caused by a light oil product, testing revealed.

The report, which came into the National Response Center on Saturday, according to the Coast Guard, prompted the Coast Guard to dispatch the incident team and representatives from Cowlitz Clean Sweep to contain and clean up the pollution. The responders boomed off the area, and are using absorbent materials, flushing the waterway, setting up containment berms and using vacuum trucks to remove contaminated water.

The source of the discharge was found to be from one of the subcontractors working on the demolition of the Harbor Paper Mill. Once the contamination was reported, demolition operations were halted and clean up efforts began, the Coast Guard reported. Pollution samples were tested, and found that the discharge contained a light oil product.

“The actions of the initial witnesses, contractors and Coast Guard personnel ensured the source was promptly secured and discharge contained,” said Chief Petty Officer Bradley Bennett, a pollution investigator a Sector Columbia River. “The Coast Guard will continue to monitor clean up efforts to help minimize the damage that may have been caused.”