Oil from a barge spilled into the waters off Staten Island has spread, and continues to spread, to a bird sanctuary on an island in Newark Bay. The oil was in transfer when the workers noticed the water becoming increasingly darker. In response to this, workers placed a boom on the surface of the water to contain the oil, added absorbent materials and notified the authorities. 112,000 gallons was the total amount of oil being transfered. It is still unknown how much oil as spilled into the water or what caused the leak. However, Petty Officer Swanson said that the oil had also reached the Shooters Island Bird Sanctuary and the Richmond Terrace wetlands, both of which are controlled by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation and are within several hundred yards of where the leak took place. Shooters Island is closed to the public and only visited by scientists and government employees. It is a breeding ground for several species of wading birds such as the glossy ibis, black-crowned night heron, and species like the snowy egret and great egret. The Miller Environmental Group, a Long Island company, plus workers from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation and the NJ Department of Environmental Protection all joined the cleanup efforts.
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/15/oil-spill-threatens-bird-sanctuary-off-staten-island/?ref=earth
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