Ben Stanton, KDLL – Kenai
The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation is excavating soil and cutting grass in the Kenai National Wildlife refuge at the site of a crude oil spill. While cleaning it up, they hope to determine which of the four oil pipes are the source of the spill at the Swanson River oil drilling site. The pipe is apparently no longer leaking. The estimated 630 gallons of oil was first reported by Chevron, which is the company that operates at that site. DEC oil spill responder Steve Russell says the area looks likes power-line right of way.
That pond, the grass, and pipeline corridor are all affected by the oil. But Russell says there are no immediate impacts to the wildlife that frequent the area, which has now been fenced off to help prevent wildlife from entering.
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