Tank barge runs aground in New York

Tank barge runs aground in New York    A barge carrying more than 5 million gallons of home heating oil reportedly struck an unknown object and began taking on water near City Island, N.Y., at about 2:30 p.m. Thursday.
   The Coast Guard said there was no immediate report of pollution.
   The commercial tug Meredith C. Reinauer was pushing a barge to Boston, when it reportedly struck the object near Execution Rocks, N.Y. The master of the tug contacted the Coast Guard and reported the barge was taking on water in a ballasting void. The tug brought the barge to anchor off of Hart Island, N.Y.
   A Coast Guard 41-foot response boat crew from Coast Guard Station Kings Point responded to the scene to confirm that the vessel was not discharging any oil. Commercial divers from Randive Inc. conducted an underwater survey of the barge hull.
   Miller Environmental Group, a commercial oil spill removal company, placed a boom around the barge as a precautionary measure and is lightering fuel from it.
   The Coast Guard and Nassau County Police are enforcing a 200-yard safety zone around the tug and barge while lightering operations take place.