Firm Cited for Discharging Fuel Into Bay

A Costa Mesa roofing company was cited Wednesday for illegally discharging gasoline into Newport Bay, authorities said.

A patch of gasoline covering 200 square yards of water at the Newport Boulevard bridge was discovered by an Orange County Harbor Patrol crew shortly before noon Wednesday, said Battalion Chief August Wagner of the Newport Beach Fire Department.

Wagner said the gasoline was traced to a nearby storm drain, where absorbent booms were placed to trap the pollutant. Fire crews then followed the trail of gasoline about one mile through drainage ditches to Crank Bros. Roofing Co. at 134 Commercial Way in Costa Mesa.

Wagner said crews found a mixture of gasoline and water being pumped from an underground fuel storage tank and flushed into a street gutter. The amount spilled was estimated at 20 to 50 gallons.

Personnel at the roofing company told authorities they were trying to flush excess rainwater out of the storage tank and didn’t realize gasoline also was being pumped out, Wagner said.

Crosby and Overton, a Long Beach environmental firm, was called in at the roofing company’s expense to clean up the spill. Wagner said the company was also cited for the illegal discharge by the state Department of Fish and Game.

A U.S. Coast Guard spokesman said his agency is conducting a separate investigation, adding that the roofing firm could face penalties of up to $5,000 for polluting navigable waters.