EXCLUSIVE: Oil Spill at Buffalo Naval Park Covered Up for Months as CEO Brian Luallen Reportedly Knew of 2025 Leak

By: Staff Reports

     A petroleum spill in the Buffalo River originating from a historic naval vessel at the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park was quietly concealed for months in 2025, according to information and photographs obtained by Niagara Action.

     The environmental incident, which occurred in July 2025, was never publicly reported at the time despite federal and state regulations that require immediate disclosure of petroleum discharge into navigable waterways.

     The spill was only uncovered weeks ago during an unannounced inspection by the United States Coast Guard, triggering a multi-agency emergency response involving the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the U.S. Coast Guard, the City of Buffalo, and the Naval Park itself.

     Photographs obtained by Niagara Action show visible petroleum sheen and oil contamination in the Buffalo River adjacent to the USS Croaker, contradicting the public narrative that the situation only recently emerged.

     Multiple sources say the 2025 spill was deliberately not reported. Discussions about not reporting the discharge reached as far as Buffalo Naval Park President and CEO Brian Luallen who was aware of the spill during the summer of 2025.

     The failure to report the spill for months – while petroleum products entered the Buffalo River – could expose the organization and its leadership to potential legal and regulatory consequences.

DEC vehicles at the Buffalo Naval Park.

Coast Guard Inspection Uncovers Concealed Petroleum Spill

     The hidden spill was observed from one of the fuel tanks aboard the USS Croaker, a World War II-era submarine permanently moored at the waterfront museum. According to officials, the inspection revealed a pinhole leak in a fuel tank allowing petroleum to intermittently escape into the Buffalo River.

     Once discovered, a Unified Command response was established involving state, federal, and local agencies. DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton said the situation required immediate action to address both environmental contamination and the structural condition of the ships.

     She said the operation focuses on environmental cleanup and stabilizing two vessels located at the Naval Park––the USS Croaker and the USS The Sullivans.

     Lefton explained that the Croaker contains approximately 25,000 gallons of diesel fuel and as much as 115,000 gallons of oily water while the destroyer USS The Sullivans holds an estimated 30,000 gallons of oily water. Those materials must be removed carefully to prevent environmental damage.

     Lefton said the agencies involved are coordinating closely to protect the Buffalo River and ensure the response is effective and safe. She also noted that no injuries or wildlife impacts had been reported at the time of the response.

     The cleanup plan includes pumping oil and contaminated water off the ships, storing the recovered material in tanks for treatment, and preparing the vessels for transport to Erie, Pennsylvania, where they will undergo long-planned dry dock repairs.

     Once the liquids are removed from the ships, officials expect the stern of the Croaker to rise several feet, allowing hull perforations to sit above the waterline. That change will allow the vessel to be transported safely across Lake Erie for repair work.

Photographs Reveal 2025 Spill

     The emergency response currently underway contrasts sharply with the reality that the spill itself occurred months earlier.

     Images published by Niagara Action show petroleum contamination in the water around the Naval Park in July 2025, eight months before authorities publicly acknowledged any leak.

Photograph of the spill from July of 2025, eight months prior to authorities were aware of the leak.

CEO Brian Luallen Aware of 2025 Spill

     The timeline raises additional questions about Luallen’s involvement. Records show that during part of the period when the spill occurred, Luallen was physically working from another location while still receiving compensation from the Naval Park.

     Despite being away from Buffalo at times, he remained informed about the situation involving the vessels.

     The situation raises concerns not only about environmental compliance but also about oversight and leadership at one of Buffalo’s most prominent historic attractions.

Public Response and Official Statements

     U.S. Coast Guard Commander Adam Mosley, currently serving as incident commander, praised the collaboration between agencies involved in the cleanup. He said the Naval Park and state officials have taken steps to address the situation and protect both environmental resources and historic ships.

     Meanwhile, Luallen has publicly described the operation as an important step toward preserving the vessels. He said collaboration among federal, state, and local partners is helping ensure environmental protection while supporting the long-term preservation of the ships. Luallen also credited the DEC’s leadership for providing technical expertise and the flexibility needed to move the project forward quickly.

     However, the newly uncovered timeline surrounding the 2025 spill raises questions about whether the public narrative fully reflects what occurred.

A Troubled History at the Naval Park

     The current crisis follows years of concerns surrounding the condition of ships at the Buffalo Naval Park. Most notably was in April of 2022 when the USS The Sullivans nearly sank at its mooring.

     Breaches in the destroyer’s hull allowed water to enter the vessel, causing it to list roughly 30 degrees to the starboard side. Emergency crews spent weeks stabilizing the vessel.

     Workers patched holes in the hull, removed debris, and pumped massive amounts of water from the ship to prevent it from sinking. The emergency operation lasted nearly three weeks and ultimately succeeded in stabilizing the vessel. However, officials acknowledged the repairs were only temporary. The ship would eventually need major structural work to survive long term.

     Despite the emergency repairs, the destroyer managed to withstand two massive storms later that year – the November 2022 lake-effect snowstorm and the Christmas Blizzard of 2022.

     While the Croaker did not suffer the dramatic near-sinking experienced by The Sullivans, it too has faced structural challenges. The submarine has remained afloat in Buffalo Harbor far longer than its designers ever intended.

     Naval vessels of its era were never meant to serve as museum ships for decades. As a result, corrosion, aging tanks, and deteriorating infrastructure have become ongoing concerns.

     Officials have long known that residual fuel and oily water remained trapped inside the vessel’s tanks. Removing those materials has been part of long-term plans tied to dry dock repairs. The recent inspection that uncovered the concealed 2025 leak has only accelerated those plans.

Luallen’s Past Controversy

     Questions about leadership at the Buffalo Naval Park are intensified by Luallen’s professional history before arriving in Buffalo.

     Luallen previously served as the CEO of Fair Park First, a nonprofit organization responsible for managing Fair Park in Dallas, Texas. His tenure there ended amid controversy after he resigned in August 2023 following related to financial oversight concerns.

     A 2022 audit raised issues involving how revenue from parking, merchandise, and food and beverage operations had been monitored.

     The audit concluded that both Fair Park First and its management partner, Oak View Group subsidiary OVG360, had failed to properly track certain revenue streams.

     The findings triggered scrutiny of financial management practices. Luallen initially attempted to address the issues by pledging improvements to audit and compliance policies. However, investigations into potential financial mismanagement continued and he was briefly removed from his position in 2023 before being reinstated pending a performance review. Just weeks later, he resigned from the role.

     In his resignation letter, Luallen said the environment had become difficult and uncomfortable to navigate. Coincidently, he also cited personal health concerns as a factor in his decision.

     Investigators will likely examine the timeline of the spill, the internal communications surrounding it, and the decision not to report it immediately. For now, environmental cleanup efforts remain underway.

     But the larger story surrounding the spill, who knew about it, and when, may only be beginning to unfold. As the saying goes, the cover-up is often worse than the crime.

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EXCLUSIVE: Oil Spill at Buffalo Naval Park Covered Up for Months as CEO Brian Luallen Reportedly Knew of 2025 Leak