BARGE OLS-30; Rogers City, Michigan

Rogers City, Michigan | 1988-Oct-10

Initial Notification: NOAA/OMA was notified of the incident on October 10, 1988, by the Federal On-Scene Coordinator (OSC) and requested to evaluate the threat to the environment from spill. NOAA advised the Coast Guard that a whitefish spawning ground was located inshore of the wreck. In addition, the cargo would probably sink, although NOAA expected rapid recolonization of benthic organisms because the pollutant would rapidly disperse in the water. Because the OSC felt that the operation posed a high human safety hazard, and there was a high probability of inclement weather threatening salvage attempts, NOAA recommended that a controlled release was preferred to risking human life or chancing an uncontrolled catastrophic release. USCG district 9.