Newsom Threatens to Sue; Trashes Coast Guard

by ortcutt [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

Mayor Gavin Newsom said today the city will take legal action against the company or agency deemed responsible for the 58,000 gallons of oil that spilled into the bay after a container ship rammed into the Bay Bridge Wednesday.

Newsom and City Attorney Dennis Herrera also expressed frustration over incorrect information disseminated early on by the Coast Guard about the extent of the spill.

"We'll be doing everything to make sure that those who are responsible are held accountable and that the costs born by this will be born by the appropriate agency or agencies... or individuals or companies that are responsible," Newsom said. (SF Chronicle 11.8.07)

Damn straight.  I guess there is some uncertainty whether Cosco or the San Francisco Bar Pilots are responsible for the spill, hence the hedging about "company or agency deemed responsible".  The Coast Guard's role in this has been ridiculous.  140 Gallons?  Who were they kidding?

Until 9 p.m. Wednesday, the Coast Guard said only 140 gallons had spilled from the vessel. Coast Guard officials said that estimate came from the ship's owners and that the Coast Guard only realized the spill was much greater after it conducted its own inspection of the bay.

U.S. Coast Guard Capt. William Uberti has said the initial cleanup response was appropriate, but city officials said today that had they known the spill was 58,000 early on, they would have laid down more boom lines and responded to the event with more urgency.

"When you're off by 58,000 gallons that's a big gap," Newsom said. "This is not acceptable. This wasn't in the margin of error."

It took them until 9 PM to figure out that more than 140 gallons had been spilled.  What kind of Coast Guard is this?

Newsom said his office learned from officials that the spill was 58,000 - not 140 gallons - after 9 p.m. Wednesday evening.

"I'm not saying anyone lied. I'm saying there was wrong information," he said. "It all goes to intent. Was there intent to mislead? That needs to be assessed. There's a lot of finger pointing right now....I'm just concerned about mitigating the damage and cleaning it up and then holding those people responsible."