RESPONSE TO MAJOR OIL SPILL—TANK BARGE ST. THOMAS

ABSTRACT In early February 1986 the U.S. tank barge St. Thomas struck a submerged object in Charlotte Amalie harbor, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. Damage to the barge's number 1 starboard cargo tank resulted in the loss of an estimated 500 barrels of No. 6 fuel oil. Later, an additional 100 barrels were lost when temporary patching of the tank let go. These two spills are believed to be the largest that have affected the U.S. Virgin Islands. When the operators of the barge failed to initiate an appropriate response to remove the oil, the Coast Guard on-scene coordinator initiated a federal response under the authority of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. Over the next month the OSC coordinated the cleanup of this oil which had pocketed around the harbor. Total costs for the cleanup exceeded $1.9 million. No long-term environmental damage is believed to have occurred.