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Case: LNG
CARRIER MATTHEW, Puerto Rico
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Date of incident: December 15, 2009
Location: Guayanilla, Puerto Rico
Trustees:
Case status: Emergency Restoration and Assessment Phase
Overview: On December 15, 2009, the 289 meter LNG/C MATTHEW
grounded on coral reef habitat off the south coast of Puerto Rico near
Guayanilla. The vessel was eventually freed from the reef with the assistance
of local tug boats. Evidence indicates that the vessel was pushed at the bow
and swung side-to-side before finally being extracted from the reef. The
grounding of the LNG/C MATTHEW, and its subsequent movement and actions
undertaken to prevent a release of fuel oil resulted in substantial reef injury
including fractured and crushed hard corals, dislodged hard and soft corals,
areas of scraped and pulverized bottom, and patches of anti-fouling paint and
caused or contributed to a loss of biota over an area of seafloor exceeding
3000 square meters.
The impacted site is located northeast of the entrance channel to Guayanilla
Bay. The impact is a spur and groove reef area, varying in depth from 24 to 38
feet with scattered deeper sand, coral and rubble depressions. The site habitat
supported a diverse assemblage of soft corals, sponges, and hard corals,
including Staghorn coral (Acropora cervicornis), a threatened species
under the Endangered Species Act.
Officials of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Department of Natural and
Environmental Resources (DNER) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce ("NOAA") are designated,
pursuant to section 1006(b) of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (‘‘OPA’’), 33
U.S.C. 2706(b), as trustees ("Trustees") for natural resources harmed by this
Incident. Puerto Rico DNER has further authority to address the harm caused by
this Incident pursuant to Law 147 of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and is
serving as the Lead Administrative Trustee (LAT) for coordinating the natural
resource damage assessment for the Incident.
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