Several agencies responded to a large oil spill on the Columbia River in Southwest Washington. The sheen was first spotted near Kalama Wednesday morning.
The Coast Guard launched to the scene, along with the Washington Department of Ecology and Oregon Department of Environment Quality. Ecology members collected samples and monitored the sheen as it moved downriver, reaching Longview.
A Coast Guard helicopter flew overhead to track movement of the spill and estimated the sheen to be three miles long. By the time the spill was observed in Longview, it was no longer visible in Kalama.
The responding agencies determined the spill was no longer discharging into the river. It was determined the sheen was too thin to recover and appeared to be dissipating.
There are no reports of distressed wildlife. It's unclear what started the spill, but the agencies plan to continue their investigation and monitor the sheen.
