Diesel Fuel Spills in NJ Waters

Although this didn't happen here at Razzberry Corner, this happened to my sister in NJ, and I felt compelled to mention it here.

On January 12, 2012, twenty-six thousand (26,000) gallons of diesel fuel spilled into NJ waterways, including Big Timber Creek, Greenloch Lake and Blackwood Lake.  The area is a country, wooded area, with lakes and creeks. Many animals lived there in and along the waters.  This caused devastation for the animals living in and along the water, and greatly impacted the people in the area.  My sister lives along the water there.  Here's the initial video from a local website about the spill.

Diesel Fuels Spills Into New Jersey Lakes: MyFoxPHILLY.com

The spill is now contained according to the  state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).  As of about 8 a.m. Friday, roughly 13,000 of the 26,000 gallons of diesel fuel believed to have leaked from the New Jersey Transit underground storage tanks had been collected, Gloucester Township Mayor David Mayer reported.   The heavy odor of diesel fuel hung heavy in the air and over the water Friday as crews from Clean Venture Inc., a contracted environmental remediation firm, worked to clean up the spill for New Jersey Transit. Workers in protective suits installed 1,300 feet of yellow booms to stop the fuel’s spread. Water vacuums, skimmers and absorbent pads were all utilized during the cleanup. Residents should not enter the impacted waterways or fish in them or their tributaries until further notice, officials said. New Jersey Transit has installed signs around the area notifying the public of the ongoing cleanup efforts.  Despite the heavy odor of diesel on the waterways, officials say there are no air safety concerns. 

Good luck to all those people who live there and who are dealing with this.  I don't know how the animals who used to live in and beside those waters, who depend on those waters to drink, can survive.  Such a tragedy...