The pilot of the cargo ship that struck the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge in November and spilled 58,000 gallons of fuel oil was charged on Monday with criminal negligence and violating two federal environmental laws.
Capt. John J. Cota , 60, was charged in federal court in San Francisco with one count each of violating the Clean Water Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, both misdemeanors, said a report on the Los Angeles Times website.
Cota was at the helm Nov. 7 when the 900-foot Cosco Busan hit the base of a bridge tower in heavy fog, gashing the hull and leaking oil into San Francisco Bay, according to the report.
The spill spread around the bay and into coastal waters beyond the Golden Gate, blackening seabirds, briefly shutting down the fishery and prompting a massive cleanup.
A pilot in the San Francisco Bay area since 1981, Cota gave up his operating license in December, said the report, quoting Coast Guard officials.
The spill from the 65,000-ton cargo ship killed 2,000 birds, including brown pelicans, marbled murrelets and western grebes, according to the report.
The maximum penalty for a misdemeanor violation of the Clean Water Act is one year in prison and a 100,000-dollar fine, and the maximum penalty for a misdemeanor violation of the bird treaty act is six months imprisonment and a 15,000-dollar fine.
Source:Xinhua
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