The U.S. Coast Guard and Department of Justice will hold a joint community meeting to discuss oil spills in New Bedford Harbor and measures to keep the harbor clean and pollution free on Tuesday, Aug. 22 at 2:00pm at the Waterfront Grille (36 Homers Wharf) in New Bedford.

At the “Keep Our Waters Clean” meeting, which is open to the public, presenters from the Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment New Bedford, the Massachusetts Dept. of Environmental Protection, the city of New Bedford and the town of Fairhaven will review vessel pollution regulations and identify potential solutions to address pollution in New Bedford Harbor. (Download event flyer)

Small oil spills are a recurrent problem in New Bedford Harbor. Contaminated bilge water is considered the most likely source of most of these spills. Fuel and oil can leak into vessel bilge, which is then released into the harbor when fishing vessels return to port. Since 2016, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and the New Bedford Harbor Development Commission have been running a program called Clean Bilge New Bedford that offers free pumpouts and inspections to commercial fishing vessels to prevent small oil spills.

RSVPs are not required, but encouraged. With questions and RSVPs, contact Marine Safety Detachment New Bedford at (508) 999-0072 or MSDNewBedford@uscg.mil.

Hosted By: U.S. Coast Guard & Department of Justice