NORFOLK, Va. — Fuel spilled into the Elizabeth River near Downtown Norfolk Friday morning during the refueling of a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) ship.
The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) spokesperson said the spill happened when a Navy barge was fueling the NOAA vessel with green-dyed diesel fuel.
That's when a hose coupling broke off, releasing 100 gallons onto the vessel's deck. Much of the spilled fuel made it into the Elizabeth River, but a precautionary containment boom was already in place, according to the DEQ spokesperson.
A spokesperson for NOAA said the ship involved was the Thomas Jefferson and that crews deployed measures to absorb and mitigate the spread of spilled fuel. No one was hurt.
Earlier Friday, the Coast Guard confirmed to 13News Now that its inspectors also responded to the spill.
People who live and work in Norfolk were concerned about the spill.
“Hearing about an oil spill is never a great thing, and there’s already so many environmental problems that we have. Let's not add another one on top of the ones that we already have,” said Centrell Hughes, who works in Norfolk.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a small diesel spill is between 500 and 5000 gallons. Friday’s spill was around 50 to 100 gallons, which should not negatively impact the river. However, some people wish the spill never happened.
“The ideal situation would be not to use this kind of oil or transport it in such a way that spills are liable to happen," said Norfolk resident Larissa Moretz.
NOAA said responders are continuing to assess the situation and the primary goal is to ensure the safety of everyone involved and minimize any environmental impacts.