Report urges tweaking of SF Bay spill plan

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 28 (UPI) -- A review of the Nov. 7 oil spill in San Francisco Bay urged improvements in first response and the managing of volunteers helping with the shoreline cleanup.

The long-awaited after-action report released Monday said there were too many high-priority areas of the bay to adequately protect, and there was a lack of planning for the deployment of civilian cleanup volunteers.

The Coast Guard was criticized for an initial underestimation of the scope of the spill in the initial hours after the freighter Cosco Busan sideswiped the Bay Bridge and spilled about 1,275 barrels of fuel oil into the bay.

Part of the problem of the slow response was a lack of personnel on duty at the time who had experience in dealing with pollution incidents, the report said.

"We've reviewed the recommendations and other information and have mapped out an action plan to implement ideas that will improve our response system," Coast Guard Rear Adm. Craig Bone said in a statement. "The Coast Guard is already working in conjunction with the cities and counties in the Bay area toward an all hazards, all threats approach to planning, protection, response and recovery."