VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Virginia Beach Fire officials said a petroleum sheen on the water in Rudee Inlet Thursday night caused a hazmat response.
Fire officials were called to the 400 block of Pacific Avenue Thursday.
When they arrived, they found the sheen on the water between Rockefeller’s and Terrace Avenue.
The spill was contained within the inlet using a boom and oil absorbent pads, a fire department spokeswoman said.
The Virginia Department of Emergency Management, U.S. Coast Guard and the Virginia Beach Fishing Center were contacted.
Crews went out Friday morning to reassess the spill for further mitigation, the Coast Guard confirmed.
According to the Coast Guard, Federal On Scene Coordinator representatives from Sector Virginia opened the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund to contract cleanup operations and hire an environmental cleanup crew to mitigate environmental impacts.
“The Coast Guard is deeply committed to protecting the environment and responding to incidents that could negatively impact our local waters,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Justin Harris, a marine science technician and Federal On Scene Coordinator representative for Sector Virginia. “The coordinated efforts between the Coast Guard, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, and the Virginia Beach Fire Department allowed us to take swift action to mitigate any adverse environmental impacts to Rudee Inlet and our local environment.”
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