Upper Houston Ship Channel Closed after Oil Spill

A small section of the Upper Houston Ship Channel was closed Tuesday morning after a report that 1,000 gallons of diesel entered Greens Bayou from a cement facility.

US Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders received the initial report at 7:13 am yesterday, local time, of a diesel storage tank overflowing and entering the waterway.

To facilitate spill assessment and response operations, the Captain of the Port established a safety zone at 7:57 am, closing the Houston Ship Channel where it intersects Greens Bayou.

Coast Guard incident management personnel are on scene with Garner Environmental, who has been contracted by South Central Cement to conduct cleanup operations.

The diesel release was secured and the spill has been contained using boom.