The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, and NEXGEN Logistics LLC are expanding their cleanup of petroleum products released to Bear Creek since Tuesday night’s fire at the Pacific Pride Commercial Fuel Station on South Central Avenue in Medford, and have re-opened one lane of South Central Avenue from Earhart Street to Banks Street.
This morning cleanup crews observed small areas of light sheen on the Rogue River downstream of Bear Creek which has prompted the placement of additional hard boom – which traps petroleum – and absorbent boom into areas of Bear Creek further downstream of the incident. The agencies are investigating the extent of sheen on the Rogue.
Crews continue to remove petroleum from the creek and its bank.
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists have conducted intensive surveys looking for immediately affected fish and wildlife. They will continue to look for delayed impacts to wildlife such as future health, fitness, and reproductive success of fish and wildlife in this area. Thus far no impacts to fish have been observed.
Biologists have captured and cleaned several oiled waterfowl that remain under observation. Wildlife agencies advise the public to not approach or pick-up any oiled wildlife but to instead notify International Bird Rescue at 707-689-3944 to ensure trained wildlife rehabilitation experts help the animals.
Courtesy of State of Oregon
