The first phase of an effort to stabilize two historically and culturally significant vessels in Western New York has been completed. New York State DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton called the fuel removal operation on the USS Croaker and USS The Sullivans a “tremendous success.” The effort also involved the U.S. Coast Guard, City of Buffalo, and Buffalo Naval Park. The multi-agency response at the Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park helped protect the Buffalo River after potentially hazardous threats to the environment were identified on the vessels on March 16th. A pinhole in one of the fuel tanks aboard the USS Croaker and water incursion on the USS The Sullivans created two potentially hazardous threats to the environment. Crews removed 124,665 total gallons of diesel fuel and oily water from the USS Croaker and 100,418 gallons from the USS The Sullivans. Without this removal, the ships’ stability was in question, as was the potential contamination of the Buffalo River.
Photo by the United States Coast Guard…