CLEANUP OF CALIFORNIA OIL SPILL IS SLOW(9/10/99) Coast Guard officials have managed to clean up only a small portion of about 2,000 gallons of oil that has leaked into Humboldt Bay from a dredging vessel. The oil leak from the ruptured fuel tank of The Stuyvesant occurred Monday night after rough seas apparently tossed part of the dredging apparatus against the vessel. Part of the equipment sliced through the hull, cutting a 6-inch to 8-inch-wide hole in the tank. The ship, which had been working about three-fourths of a mile offshore, was sent 3 miles out to sea so it would not further impact the bay, 225 miles northwest of San Francisco. A small amount of oil washed ashore near the Samoa Boat Ramp and was cleaned up Tuesday afternoon. Work crews collected a garbage bag full of oil-covered rocks and plants, and 14 oil-slicked birds also were recovered, said Coast Guard Lt. Richard Teubner. Bad weather kept cleanup vessels blocked Tuesday, but officials were hopeful that clear weather today would allow them to resume mopping up the oil. The bay is home to a variety of marine life, including sea otters and seals. There is an abundance of bird species in the area but only a few birds were spotted during an overflight of the spill, Teubner said. ``Our hope is that with the wind and surf they won't want to be out in water,'' Teubner said. Reprinted with the permission of
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