2007

Henry K. Lee, Peter Fimrite,Jane Kay, Chronicle Staff Writers

Thursday, November 8, 2007

More…

(11-08) 10:07 PST San Francisco – —

Officials from a host of local, state and federal agencies are meeting today to discuss how to clean up 58,000 gallons of fuel that spilled into San Francisco Bay after a container ship bumped into the Bay Bridge.

Some 8,000 gallons of the heavy-duty bunker fuel oil have been contained since Wednesday’s accident, U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Russ Tippets said this morning. Several San Francisco beaches have been closed, and officials said there was oil in the bay just off the Marin County shoreline.

Representative from 13 agencies are meeting at Fort Mason this morning to discuss the next steps, Tippets said. The Coast Guard launched at first light today to check for sheen in the water and to track the flow of oil, he said.

Oil began leaking into the water after the 65,131-ton Cosco Busan, an 810-foot-long container ship, crashed into the base of a tower of the Bay Bridge’s western span in heavy fog at about 8:30 a.m. Wednesday.

It was the first time in memory that an oceangoing ship had run into the bridge, which did not suffer major damage.

Authorities have shut down Baker Beach (home to Baker Skimboards, Josh and Paul), Crissy Field (including Pipes, Grasses, Trees, Stadiums, and 180 Waves), China Beach, Kirby Cove, Fort Point & even popular skimboarding beach Lefts in San Francisco due to the bay’s contamination.  Lefts may not ever open again, and visitors from outside the area are urged to stay home.

Wildlife officials said finding birds and other animals covered in oil is a high priority.

The spill threatens to coat the birds’ feathers, making it impossible for them to stay warm when they get into the chilly bay water, said Dr. Mike Ziccardi, director of the Oiled Wildlife Care Network. The UC Davis program organizes the wildlife aid response for the state Department of Fish and Game. The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito is also part of the network.

The most common species feeding at the Golden Gate at this time of year are western grebes and scoters.

“The birds’ first response is to get out of the water (during a spill),” Ziccardi said. “They have a high metabolism and need to eat frequently. Because they’re out of the water, they can’t eat. They can become severely debilitated and can die unless brought into rehabilitation.”

At the International Bird Rescue Research Center in Fairfield, “we get them warm, we get them rehydrated and we get the oil off of them. The more quickly we can respond, the better it will be,” Ziccardi said.

Residents who spot birds covered with oil should call (877) 823-6926.

Chris Godley, emergency services manager for Marin County, said there were no confirmed reports of oil on Marin beaches, but that slicks had appeared in the water near shore.

One slick, 50 yards long and 20 yards wide, was seen off Paradise Drive in Tiburon. Another was seen in Richardson Bay near Potter’s place in Mill Valley, Godley said.

“We also have reports of oil on the rocks at Kirby Cove just west of the Golden Gate Bridge,” Godley said.

A Golden Gate National Recreation Area ranger, stationed at a roadblock near the Point Bonita lighthouse on the Marin Headlands, said, “This area is all full of oil. You can smell it. This whole area is closed.”

E-mail the writers at hlee@sfchronicle.com, pfimrite@sfchronicle.com andjkay@sfchronicle.com.

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