VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Crews from multiple agencies responded to a diesel sheen incident in Rudee Inlet on Friday.
Coast Guard watchstanders got a call Thursday evening from fire crews who learned that a sheen had been spotted in the water in the Rudee Inlet area.
Hazardous materials crews were immediately dispatched to start cleanup efforts with absorbent pads that night.
Early Friday morning, a pollution response team was sent to assess the situation,
After that assessment, officials decided to hire an environmental cleanup crew and contract cleanup operations to mitigate the impact of the diesel on the environment. Authorities don't yet know where the diesel came from.
“The Coast Guard is deeply committed to protecting the environment and responding to incidents that could negatively impact our local waters,” said Petty Officer Second Class Justin Harris, a marine science technician and Federal On Scene Coordinator representative for Sector Virginia. “The coordinated efforts between the Coast Guard, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, and the Virginia Beach Fire Department allowed us to take swift action to mitigate any adverse environmental impacts to Rudee Inlet and our local environment.”
