Updated Aug. 3, 5:30 p.m.
Federal, state and local officials are responding to a fuel leak in Lake Michigan after a cargo vessel was breached yesterday afternoon.
The 630-foot-long Manitowoc vessel is no longer leaking and is anchored in the lake until further notice. First responders are still assessing and cleaning up the spill, about 1.5 nautical miles off the coast of Manistee.
There is no sheen around the vessel, but the leak has resulted in a 2-by-3-mile-long diesel sheen, 8 nautical miles north of Manistee. The nearest area of land to the sheen is a half mile away at Portrait's Point Wood Reserve.
Authorities still don't know how many gallons of diesel spilled into Lake Michigan.
“We’re going with the maximum spill potential of 45,174 [gallons], but it’s likely to be a lot less of a number that actually discharged... since the leak was stopped and remaining fuel was transferred to another tank on the vessel,” Lt. Heather Stemmerman said.
The cause of the breach is under investigation, but there’s been no reported effect on beaches or drinking water.
“We don’t have the full picture right now," Stemmerman said. "We did the overflight, and there’s been no landfall or shoreline impact at this time.”
Stemmerman said the view from the helicopter didn't look "too bad" this morning, adding that diesel floats on water and will dissipate with sunlight.
Responders initially put out an oil boom to contain the spill, but thunderstorms delayed plans.
"We have teams out there that will be aggressively attacking the sheen and any other reports that we have on the shoreline and or offshore," USCG Captain Seth Carter said, at a 4 p.m. press briefing. "We do have the necessary resources on standby and ready to respond once weather conditions [improve]."
Although the human health risk is low, the City of Manistee closed the northern part of the Fifth Avenue Beach.
"There is no contamination on any of the beaches, this has just been done out of caution," said Manistee fire chief Tom Hernden. "We're going to continue to monitor the repairs and when the vessel is going to be deemed fit to move."
Officials are asking the public to report sightings of diesel on shorelines by calling 231-723-6241 and to keep their distance from any fuel in the water.
Editor's note: This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
