Officials: Cleanup Underway After Oil Spills Into Schuylkill River
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The U.S. Coast Guard tells CBS 3 it is working with numerous local and state agencies in response to an oil spill around Market Street and the Schuylkill River.
According to the Coast Guard, the leak originated from an emergency generator operated by Century Link, located at 2400 Market Street. The flow is now secured, according to the Coast Guard.
The Coast Guard says 4,200 gallons spilled. Of that, 250 gallons went into the Schuylkill River and 3,950 gallons went onto land on the CSX facility near the Schuylkill River Trail.
The Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management is currently coordinating with snow plows to clear a path so the land spill can be cleaned.
Officials expect it to be closed for the next 3-5 days as they work to clean the spill as soon as possible.
A company named Miller Environmental has been hired to clean the spill on both land and water.
Ice on the river is currently acting as a natural barrier for the ice, keeping the river spill contained to an extent, according to the Coast Guard.
The Philadelphia Water Department says the location of the spill was downstream of the water intakes and poses no threat to the drinking water supply for Philadelphia.
The Schuylkill River Trail is currently closed between Market Street to Locust Point.
TRAIL USERS: An oil spill has occurred on the river near Chestnut. Expect trail closures btwn Market & Walnut. Evaluation & cleanup underway
— Schuylkill Banks (@SchuylkillBanks) January 25, 2016
The Coast Guard says the investigation is ongoing and it is working with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Pa. Fish and Boat Commission, as well as the city's water and fire departments, among others.
