By John Custodio

Oswego Harbor is experiencing a fuel oil spill from the Oswego Harbor Power Plant, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).

In response, city of Oswego Mayor Billy Barlow closed the Breitbeck Park harbor walking trail on March 9 as the U.S. Coast Guard from Buffalo and DEC worked with the power plant to clean up the oil. 

“Clean water in Oswego Harbor and Lake Ontario is critically important to our residents and wildlife,” Barlow said, via a Facebook post on the official “Mayor Billy Barlow” page. “We will do our part to ensure that the oil spread is limited and as much of the fuel that can be captured is captured.” 

An underground pipe from the power plant leaked No. 6 fuel oil into the lake, which is described by the U.S. Energy Information Administration as a fuel oil of medium viscosity used by “steam-powered vessels” and powerplants for the production of “electric power, space heating, vessel bunkering and various industrial purposes.”

According to the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Buffalo Public Affairs Officer Lt. Sean Dolan, the actual quantity of oil spilled has not been measured, but the suspected source has been secured. The oil that reached the harbor’s water has been “boomed off,” where a wide floating barrier is cast off into the water to prevent the oil from spreading further. As of March 10, three containment booms were still in the harbor. 

“The oil that was in the water has been boomed off and is being recovered by the oil recovery contractor but I do not have an actual physical number to give you,” Dolan said. 

Dolan said four Coast Guard members from his office were working on the cleanup, alongside members of the DEC and an environmental cleanup contractor. For Dolan’s office, aquatic pollution cleanups are common with a seasonal increase in the summertime.

“The Coast Guard is committed to environmental protection and we have a staff of folks that are on call 24 hour a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year to respond to these things,” Dolan said. “It really is seasonal, naturally, busier in the summer but steady work responding to pollution cases of varying sizes.” 

Oswego Harbor is a major hub for migrating waterfowl but according to Dolan, there have not been any major impacts to the environment.

“Our folks on scene would be managing that along with the New York DEC officers that are on-scene, but I have not received any reports of impacted wildlife as of right now,” Dolan said. 

As of March 23, the cleanup is still underway, utilizing containment booms and sorbent pads to contain and remove oil.

Photos from John Custodio | The Oswegonian