At about 0645 PST 26 March, NOAA HAZNAT was contacted by USCG MSO Long Island Sound, New Haven, CT, concerning tarballs and tar patties which were reported washing up on the north shore of Long Island from Stonybrook, NY to Wading River, NY on 23 March. The oil is suspected to be from the Tank Barge Rhode Island. The T/B Rhode Island had loaded 48300 bbl of #6 fuel oil in Bayonne, NJ the evening of 19 March. At first light 20 March the facility noticed a spill. That afternoon a 6x1/2 inch crack was found in the starboard #1 tank of the barge while it was located offshore of Bridgeport CT. The tank had held 4716 bbl of oil and was found to now have 6 to 8 inches of water in the tank. The barge moved to anchorage off New Haven CT and was lightered. Lightering was completed 0915, 21 March. USCG district 1.

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Note: Documents are posted chronologically and early reports likely contain factual errors. These errors may be corrected in a later report.