Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program

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Information on Oil Pollution in Buzzards Bay

Sub-pages:   Oil Spill Response  |   2003 Bouchard Oil Spill  |   Oil Spill Training  |   Past spills

Related pages: Reporting Violations  |   1992 Oil Pollution Action Plan   |   Quick Facts about Buzzards Bay.  |   Massachusetts Oil Spill Law

A major focus of the Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program is to address nitrogen discharges causing coatsl eutrophication. This page links to the major categories and initiatives under nitrogen management that are the focus of the Buzzards Bay NEP


Factoid: More than 2 billion gallons of oil, gasoline, and other hydrocarbons are shipped through Buzzards Bay annually.

ATTENTION: Read and comment upon our New Oil Pollution Action Plan for Buzzards Bay.

The Coast Guard is the lead authority for managing oil spills in Buzzards Bay, but the municipalities of Buzzards Bay, under the aegis of the Buzzards Bay Action Committee, and with assistance of the Buzzards Bay NEP, have developed this oil spill contingency plan for first action and cooperation until the Coast Guard arrives on scene.

Read the Buzzards Bay NEP's May 2000 Report on BILGE SOCKS FOR BOATS
(This is a 435K PDF file and requires Acrobat Reader[TM])

SPECIAL NOTE: The Argo Merchant tanker oil spill disaster of Dec. 15, 1976 did not occur in Buzzards Bay as sometimes noted on some websites. It occurred southeast of Nantucket Island off Cape Cod about 50 miles southeast of Buzzards Bay. The oil spill largely headed out into the Atlantic Ocean. The erroneous statement that this spill occurred in Buzzards Bay is repeated on a number web sites, including a few government sites, and is sometimes misreported in the press. Read the action plan above for information on some past oil spills in Buzzards Bay.

Proposed Bilge Oil Facility for the New Bedford Fishing Fleet and Related Information

NBST article 7/28/00: Another Mystery Oil Spill in New Bedford Harbor
Fishing Fleet Bilge Oil Facility proposal for New Bedford Harbor (278 kb pdf file)
This April 2000 proposal was developed by Buzzards Bay NEP in partnership with New Bedford Harbor Development Commission. Matching funds were provided by Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management, Massachusetts Environmental Trust, and the City of New Bedford. This project has languished because of complex permitting and siting issues.
NBST Op Ed piece 7/19/02: Oil removal must be much higher priority
Link to similar facilities built in Texas

Articles

BBP funds municipal oil spill training.
NBST article 7/23/00: Oil Spills in Buzzards Bay: Preparing for the worst
Boston Globe 1990 article on Bermuda Star
NBST article 8/5/00: Motor oil contaminates Clark's Cove

Links

US Coast Guard National Response Center

Coast Guard Statistics on oil spills in the US

Coast Guard Response Information page

NOAA Office of Oil Spill Response and Restoration page

US EPA Oil Pollution Program

Special note on oil units of measure and converting units

1 barrel of oil= 42 gallons;
1 US ton (= short ton) of oil is roghly 6.3 barrels or 264.6 gallons (but varies with density of the oil; a No. 2 fuel oil might equal 272 gallons whereas No. 6 fuel oil might equal 248 gallons)

Weight to volume estimate is based on a medium crude oil. There are more gallons in a ton of a light hydrocarbon, like gasoline, and less gallons in a heavy hydrocarbon, like No. 6 fuel oil.

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