No contaminants found in water after accident

Maryland’s Department of the Environment found no contaminants in the Patapsco River after a mammoth cargo ship crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge and brought down the roadway, authorities said Wednesday.

The Dali cargo ship was carrying 56 containers of hazardous materials, including corrosives, flammables and lithium- ion batteries, plus more than a million gallons of fuel, according to the Coast Guard.

Hazmat inspectors have found no evidence the Dali’s hull is leaking any fluids into the river, U. S. Coast Guard Vice Adm. Peter Gautier said.

Water samples collected hours after the collapse did not contain contaminants such as volatile organic compounds or lithium, Maryland Department of the Environment spokesperson Jay Apperson told USA TODAY.

Authorities are monitoring for environmental impacts of the collapse as climate activists urge for transparency amid recovery efforts.

Apperson told USA TODAY that officials had collected water samples both upriver and downstream from the debris, and analyzed them for “substances associated with fuel constituents” such as volatile organic compounds.

The department also tested water samples for lithium and total sulfur to see whether battery acids containing alkyl sulfonic acids had been released from the damaged containers on the Dali. Lithium was not detected in any samples. Sulfur concentrations were higher in areas upriver from the bridge, Apperson said, which indicated the elevated levels were due to “background conditions within the Patapsco River and not due to releases from ship containers.”

The sample from March 26, the day of the accident, will act as a baseline for comparison with water quality testing results throughout the recovery and reconstruction process, he said. Sampling will continue every few days “indefinitely,” Apperson said.

Crews have deployed roughly 1 mile of boom around the collapse site and ship. The containment boom around the vessel was deployed to stop a “sheen” on the water from spreading, U. S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Kimberly Reaves told USA TODAY. It would also collect “any kind of debris or hazmat ( materials) or oil.” The Unified Command said last week it had an additional 3 miles of boom on standby.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said it responds to more than 150 oil and chemical spills in U. S. waters every year, which can threaten life, property and natural resources. NOAA noted that thousands of spills happen each year but the vast majority are small, sometimes less than one barrel.

Most hazmat spills occur on America’s highways, not waterways, according to a USA TODAY Network analysis of federal data.

So far this year, the Coalition to Prevent Chemical Disasters has tracked 45 hazardous chemical incidents across the nation, including toxic releases, fires and explosions.