PUBLIC URGED TO AVOID PORTIONS OF THE NORTH RACCOON AFFECTED BY OIL SPILL

 

MEDIA CONTACT: Alison Manz at 712-250-0219

 

JEFFERSON – The public is being urged to avoid portions of the North Raccoon River below Jefferson that have been affected by an oil spill.

 

“We have pools of oil that people canoeing, fishing or hiking should avoid. People should also avoid letting their pets in those areas of the river where there are obvious pools of oil present,” said Alison Manz, an environmental specialist for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

 

Manz said the public also needs to be aware of the clean-up work that is being done and avoid those areas of the river as well.

 

Approximately 10 to 15 miles of the North Raccoon River downstream from Jefferson has been affected after a valve on an aboveground storage tank with used oil malfunctioned last week at Krieger’s Greenhouse in Jefferson. The DNR is currently working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other agencies on cleaning up oil that is still in the affected part of the river.

 

Some waterfowl have been seen with oil on them from the spill. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and DNR have been installing bamboo poles with plastic sheeting on pools with oil to keep waterfowl away from those areas, said Manz.

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