Pollution Removal Continues For 'Spirit Of Sacramento'

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA – Pollution removal operations for a vessel that capsized earlier this month near Bethel Island will continue today in Sausalito, U.S. Coast Guard officials said Friday.

The 85-foot Spirit of Sacramento arrived at about 1:30 p.m. Friday to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers center in Sausalito where Saturday morning a crew will begin removing the boat's fuel and oil, according to
Coast Guard officials.

The operation will continue throughout the day.

On Wednesday afternoon, a crane on a floating barge righted and dewatered the vessel, which capsized at around 12:30 a.m. Sept. 4 near the southern tip of Webb Tract, just across from Bethel Island.

The Coast Guard is cooperating with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife's Office of Spill Prevention and Response, the Army Corps of Engineers and other partner agencies, spokesman Adam Stanton said.

Coast Guard officials believe the boat contains about 600 gallons of fuel, Stanton said.

The Coast Guard is scheduled to transfer the boat to the Environmental Protection Agency on Monday, according to Coast Guard officials. The EPA will remove other hazardous material from the boat at a
later date.

The boat, built to resemble an old-fashioned paddle-wheel riverboat, used to be a commercial passenger vessel, but was most recently used as a private recreational boat.

The boat's owner, Samuel Rowles, was given a federal order to produce a fuel removal plan, but has yet to do so, according to the Coast Guard.

• Also see: 5 Terrifying Attacks This Week in East Bay Driveways Prompt Safety Tips from Police Chief

--Bay City News/Image via Coast Guard