Report: Barge Owner Misstated Spill’s Extent

An oil spill in Buzzards Bay that has killed hundreds of birds and shut down the region’s shell-fishing industry was almost seven times greater than first reported, the Coast Guard said. The April 27 spill was about 98,000 gallons, not the 14,700 gallons estimated by Bouchard Transportation Inc., which owned the barge that leaked the oil from a gash in its hull.

Gov. Mitt Romney has proposed hiking fines for companies that spill oil or other toxic substances into state waters, including an extra $25,000 a day for those who knowingly make false or misleading statements.