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City Of SF Sues Ship Owners Over Bay Oil Spill

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Dec 10, 2007 11:37 am US/Pacific

City Of SF Sues Ship Owners Over Bay Oil Spill

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS) ―

Click to enlarge 1 of 1: San Francisco City wants reimbursement for cleanup costs and actual damage caused by the Bay's biggest environmental mess in roughly a decade. (File)
AP

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The City of San Francisco filed suit Monday against the owners and operators of the container ship responsible for the Nov. 7 spill of 58,000 gallons oil into San Francisco Bay.

The city's lawsuit filed in in San Francisco Superior Court against those involved with the Cosco Busan seeks an unspecified amount of damages that it contends will total in the millions of dollars.

San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrara wants reimbursement for cleanup costs and actual damage caused by the Bay's biggest environmental mess in roughly a decade -- as well as punitive damages against the ship's owner for violating state marine protection laws.

In addition, the city wants the ship firm to pay for ongoing monitoring and mitigation of the spill's environmental impact.

Meantime, the owners of the Cosco Busan may be set to offer a symbolic infusion of cash to keep crab fishermen on their feet and avoid a potential lawsuit over fishing season losses caused by the spill.

"I think they're trying to do the right thing. They know what a tough spot we were put in by this oil spill. Now we're getting a down payment on our losses that's going to help us stay in business," said Larry Collins, head of the San Francisco Crab Boat Owners Association.

Collins said Monday he viewed the loss reimbursement as a hopeful sign that crabbers Could avoid a long and contentious legal battle of their own with the ship company.
In other developments over the weekend, the Cosco Busan's pilot was asked to surrender his Federal Merchant Marine Officer's license. The U.S. Coast Guard said Capt. John Cota is not physically competent to maintain the license.

That move came after the state agency that licenses Northern California ship pilots formally accused Cota of misconduct in the events that led up to the spill.

Cota was piloting the ship when it collided with a support tower for the Bay Bridge, opening a gash in its hull and leaking the tens of thousands of gallons of toxic bunker fuel into the water.

Neither lawyers for the company or Cota immediately commented on the legal developments.