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Yorktown Oil Spill Has Minimal Environmental Impact, DEC Says

YORKTOWN, N.Y. -- Cleanup is continuing after an oil spill caused by a failed oil tank that occurred near Junior Lake in Yorktown, though officials say environmental impacts will be minimal. 

Cleanup crews are onsite at a home on Upland Road in Yorktown.

Cleanup crews are onsite at a home on Upland Road in Yorktown.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Noreen Parrell
The DEC said the environmental impact to Junior Lake is minimal and no impacts to wildlife has been observed.

The DEC said the environmental impact to Junior Lake is minimal and no impacts to wildlife has been observed.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Noreen Parrell

Wendy Rosenbach, a Department of Environmental Conservation Regional Citizen Participation Specialist, said the incident involved a heating fuel spill from an above ground storage tank at a home at 120 Upland Road. 

Rosenbach said the spill involved approximately 400 gallons of oil and they hired Tri-State Environmental who initially stabilized the situation by deploying booms to contain the spill.

"The contractor is continuing to remove impacted soil in the back yards of the impacted homes and tomorrow will continue efforts to remove the oil from the lake," Rosenbach said. "DEC has been in contact with the contractor."

Rosenbach said the spilled oil traveled through a drainage ditch through four properties and eventually into the town storm drain system where it ultimately discharged into Junior Lake.

Environmental impacts to Junior Lake will be minimal because ice cover and vegetation along the lake prevented most of the oil from getting into the water, Rosenbach said. 

"DEC expects the clean-up to continue for the next few days and DEC staff will continue to visit the site to check on the progress of the clean-up," Rosenbach said. "No impacts to wildlife have been observed."

At the lake, the contractor is using a vacuum truck and oil absorbent pads and booms to recover any oil that reached the lake.

 

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