Absorbent pads placed on Sycamore Creek to soak up oil following spill
Local residents say the clean-up of an oil spill on the Left Fork of Sycamore has been slow.
Residents report Carl E. Smith, owner of the area oil wells, is using
three or four of their employees to contain the spill and do the cleanup.
The spill apparently came from an abandoned oil pipeline.
Residents reported a heavy odor over the valley as the oil was moving downstream.
Pastor Edward Keen, Jr., who lives near the spill, says they have laid down absorbent pads to soak up the
oil that has collected in the creek.
The company indicated they would bring in a pump truck yesterday
to pump out collected pockets of standing oil.
Apparently the spill did not cross a threshold of bringing in a HazMat team, which could cost around $50,000.
It seems the state is letting Smith do the cleanup
themselves to spare this cost.
The Left Fork of Sycamore empties into the Little Kanawha at Russett.
"This female mallard all but quit feeding and was hunched
over and not moving around. I brought her into the house and
bathed her twice and have now put her back with one of the
males. I'm keeping my eye on the males to make sure the cold
doesn't effect them too much," said Pastor Edward Keen, Jr.
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