Tar Balls Found On NJ Beaches Came From Bayonne Oil Spill

LONG BRANCH, NJ — The U.S. Coast Guard says it has now identified what caused approximately 1,000 pounds of small pieces of tar to wash up on Jersey Shore beaches at the end of November.

Starting on the Nov. 25/26 weekend after Thanksgiving, "tar balls" started washing ashore on beaches from Sea Bright to Asbury Park. Members of the public also reported seeing oil slicks on beaches in Long Branch.

The U.S. Coast Guard-Sandy Hook unit responded to clean up the tar, but also to determine where it came from. And they say they found out:

The tar and oil originated from an oil spill that happened during a transfer at an oil facility on the evening of Nov. 22 in Bayonne, said the Coast Guard in this Dec. 8 press release.

"Vane Brothers Company, as represented by Gallagher Marine Systems, has been identified as the responsible party," said the Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard said as of Dec. 12 their investigation into exactly what happened is still continuing. However, a Notice of Federal Interest (NOFI) has been issued to Vane Brothers, which includes a maximum possible fine of $55,808. The company will only be fined if the federal government determines they did something wrong in the oil spill, or if they failed to immediately report it.

The Coast Guard stressed that Vane Brothers paid to hire a company to clean up the tar.

"The responsible party did contract Ken’s Marine to continue clean-up operations," said Coast Guard spokesman Petty Officer Ryan Schultz on Tuesday.

"There remains work to be done, and the responsible party is taking leadership in any potential issues related to the spill moving forward," said Capt. Zeita Merchant, captain of the Port of New York and New Jersey and Coast Guard Sector New York commander.

Beachgoers from Sea Bright to Asbury Park reported finding small chunks of tar on the beach starting Nov. 25. Some of the tar pieces were very small, the size of a penny. Others were much larger, about the size of a human fist.

More "tar balls" were found on beaches in the Gravesend Bay area of Brooklyn, as well as at Fort Wadsworth beach on Staten Island, said the Coast Guard.

Clean Ocean Action said they received no new reports of tar balls this week; however the Coast Guard was going to survey affected Jersey Shore beaches after Sunday’s rainstorm.

The Coast Guard took samples from each site and tested them at their Marine Safety Laboratory located at the tip of Sandy Hook. They determined the oil came from the Bayonne company, and became solid in the cold ocean water, forming the tar "balls" or chunks.

As of Dec. 9, the Coast Guard said clean-up crews finished at the New York sites, but "clean-up efforts will continue in Long Branch and Monmouth Beach in New Jersey."

The Coast Guard made a point to emphasize that Vane Brothers helped with the clean-up:

"Vane Brothers Company, as represented by Gallagher Marine Systems, has been incorporated into the Unified Command to assume response efforts and ensure that any potential impacts to the environment and public are mitigated," said U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Merchant.

“I can’t overstate the value of the collaboration across the Unified Command members,” he continued. “Drawing on the expertise of all our partners in New York and New Jersey is critical in ensuring that the interests of the public and the safety of the environment are met."

The states of New York and New Jersey were involved in the tar ball clean-up, but the U.S. Coast Guard led the response.

This week, Clean Ocean Action thanked the Coast Guard for what they called an "impressive response" on the tar balls.

"We are very impressed with the speed of the united response and clean-up actions by the Unit Command agencies at the federal, state and local levels," the Jersey Shore-based ocean advocacy group said on Dec. 12. "It's more important than ever to have efficient response systems in place for harmful environmental events."

Beachgoers and mariners are advised to avoid contact with the tar balls. Anyone who notices any tar balls or oil sheen in the area should contact the National Response Center at 1-800-424-8802.

U.S. Coast Guard Removed 1,000 Pounds Of Tar From NJ Beaches (Dec. 5)