![https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3d1c50_0v2MX1YQ00](https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&url=3d1c50_0v2MX1YQ00)
A fuel spill in Wellfleet Harbor Sunday morning sent a handful of agencies into action, trying to mitigate the spill's spread.
The spill happened around 9:30 a.m., and Wellfleet and Truro fire departments as well as the harbormaster responded, according to the Wellfleet Fire Department.
The oil spill was estimated to cover approximately two acres, according to the state Department of Environmental Protection . The spill was hydraulic fluid, according to Wellfleet Shellfish Constable Nancy Civetta in a separate release.
The town and state have asked the U.S. Coast Guard to test the water and bilge samples to see if a source can be identified, Civetta said.
An inspector with the state environmental protection department and local officials boarded and inspected three commercial fishing boats docked in the area but there was nothing that could identify the boats as the source of the spill, according to state Department of Environmental Protection Public Affairs Director Edmund Coletta in a statement.
Were clean-up efforts made?
On Sunday, booms were deployed around the L-pier. Absorbent pads were used to mop up one area of the slick and samples were taken from the harbor and from bilge water in a couple of commercial fishing vessels, according to the town.
Spills over 10 gallons must be reported to the state Department of Environmental Protection.
Are shellfish at risk?
Additional boat patrols and a shoreside survey with state environmental officials were underway on Monday, according to Civetta in the release. The survey revealed no remnants of hydraulic fluid.
State and town officials determined Monday that there would be no impacts to shellfish resources, said Civetta in the release. "In addition, it was agreed that there were no risks to public health and no further impacts to recreational use of the harbor."
Thanks to our subscribers, who help make this coverage possible. If you are not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism with a Cape Cod Times subscription. Here are our subscription plans.
This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: UPDATED: Source of hydraulic fuel spill in Wellfleet Harbor uncertain. What we know.
Comments / 0