Coast Guard Responds to Spill

The Coast Guard, Harris County Pollution Control, Nassau Bay Volunteer Fire Department, Kemah Fire Department and Texas General Land Office are working together to contain and clean up an oil spill in Nassau Bay near Clear Lake, Texas. A tug boat owned by Payne Brothers Inc., sank Sunday night while connected to a work barge. The partially submerged tug has leaked approximately 75 gallons of waste oil into the water. The tug is still leaking a small amount of oil. To prevent the spill from spreading, containment and absorbent booms have been set up around the tug and barge. However, three hundred feet of marsh across from the tug has been affected by the oil. Response crews are using absorbent sweeps to clean the marsh. The cause of the incident is currently under investigation.