An oil spill near Scandinavian beach and the boat harbor in Dillingham, first reported to authorities last Tuesday, has dissipated. That’s according to officials from the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation.
Howard Minor, an environmental program specialist for DEC, traveled to Dillingham on Friday to investigate the spill and coordinate possible responses. He says when he arrived on Friday, there was an oil sheen on the water in the harbor and on Scandinavian beach, but by the time he left on Saturday afternoon, it had diminished.
“During that entire time frame, it was about 70-75 degrees and mostly sunny,” Minor said. “And by that Saturday, there was little to no indication of oil sheening on the beach.”
Minor says sun and heat can help break up and dissipate the oil naturally.
He says, based on his observations, the water is safe to harvest for subsistence.
“Of course, I would recommend people fishing in that area inspect their lines,” Minor said. “But I do not see any indication that there was any pollution out there.”
Minor says they do not know what the source of the spill was or how much oil went into the water. He says there were reports of a vessel listing in the area on Tuesday, but the department has not confirmed which boat it was or whether or not that was the source.
