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Ecology: Vessel spills 80 gallons of oil into Columbia River

Published  February 19, 2016 7:41pm PST
Associated Press

KALAMA, Wash. (AP) — State officials say 80 gallons of oil spilled into the Columbia River from a shipping vessel near Kalama.

The Columbian reports (http://goo.gl/X3GDGQ ) a 618-foot ship called the Nord Auckland spilled the waste oil during an internal oil transfer Thursday morning.

Department of Ecology documents say the cause is still under investigation but the source of the spill was secured and no additional spills are expected.

Ecology spokeswoman Krista Kenner says 80 gallons is the amount reported by the vessel and that the spill on deck was larger than that.

She says the spill caused a 45-feet wide oil slick that stretched up to three-quarters of a mile.

U.S. Coast Guard documents say oil was seen near shorelines and wildlife areas but so far no significant accumulations have been found.

Ecology and Coast Guard officials are overseeing cleanup.