Port of Astoria secures $1.8 million loan for oil spill cleanup

The Port of Astoria has approved a 25-year, $1.8 million loan through Business Oregon to cover costs associated with a significant oil spill. The cleanup follows an incident that began on May 29, when a 50-foot underwater fuel line leaked over 11 tons of waste and 3,249 gallons of oily water into the slipway between Piers 2 and 3.

Response efforts, led by GrayMar Environmental Services, involved the use of 3,000 feet of absorbent and containment booms and a team of divers to repair the broken pipe. While the total cleanup cost reached approximately $2.1 million, insurance coverage provided $250,000, leaving the remaining balance to be addressed by the new loan. Port officials stated that the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality determined no further environmental remediation was required.