Coast Guard: sulfuric acid leak from Texas barge stopped
The U.S. Coast Guard said a barge damaged after grounding near the Texas port of Galveston has stopped leaking its cargo of sulfuric acid Thursday.
About 358,000 gallons of the original 430,000 gallons of acid have been offloaded from the barge. Efforts to remove the remaining acid and water mixture from the barge are expected to continue through today, the Coast Guard said.
“Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologists continue to monitor the situation and will advise the incident command team regarding potential impacts to fish and wildlife resources,” the Coast Guard said in an Aug. 18 statement. “The extent of the spill and its impact on wildlife are still being determined but are believed to be minimal.”
The tank barge “MGM3030” and the cargo are owned by Martin Product Sales. The barge grounded in the Chocolate Bayou near Galveston.