View source for NEPCO 140 oil spill

The '''NEPCO 140 Oil Spill''' took place in 1976 near [[Clayton, New York]] when the NEPCO 140 ran aground while traveling inland, spilling an estimated {{convert|300,000|USgal|m3}} of oil into the [[Saint Lawrence River]].

==Oil spill==
On June 23, 1976, the [[tugboat]] ''Eileen C'' was pushing the NEPCO 140 [[barge]], filled with crude oil, when it ran aground in the [[American Narrows]], off [[Wellesley Island]], in the [[Thousand Islands]] region. The Captain had not made a large enough adjustment to his course, when realizing the vessel was off-track in the thick [[fog]].<ref name="Suspension_Revocation/Commandant_Decisions">{{cite web |url=http://www.uscg.mil/Legal/Suspension_Revocation/Commandant_Decisions/S_and_R_1980_2279/2153%20-%20MCKINNEY.pdf |title=Albert T. McKINNEY v. US - 30 April 1979|accessdate=2009-07-01}}</ref> Upon running aground, the barge ruptured two tanks and began leaking oil. It then backed-off the rock and resumed its upriver journey. The barge again ran aground, four miles (6&nbsp;km) further upriver and ruptured another tank on a shoal near Mason Point, while trying to set anchor, per the [[U.S. Coast Guard]]'s orders. The barge leaked oil into the river for more than a day. The spill was carried-over an {{convert|80|mi|km|adj=on}} section of the St. Lawrence River, by the river’s swift current.  Shoreline, wildlife, rocks, and boats were covered with oil, as far downriver as [[Massena (village), New York|Massena, New York]] and [[Brockville, Ontario]].<ref name=76_NEPCO_spill_fact_sheet>{{cite web|url=http://www.savetheriver.org/docs/76_NEPCO_spill_fact_sheet.pdf|title=Save The River Report|accessdate=2009-07-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120224202821/http://www.savetheriver.org/docs/76_NEPCO_spill_fact_sheet.pdf|archive-date=2012-02-24|url-status=dead}}</ref> Oil penetrated into extensive marshland areas.<ref name=book>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b1ycNCepIicC&q=June+23,+1976+oil+spill&pg=PA228 |title=The use of chemicals in oil spill response|isbn=9780803119994|accessdate=2009-07-01|last1=Lane|first1=Peter|year=1995}}</ref> At the time of the accident, the spill was the worst inland oil spill in North American history.

==Cleanup==
It was difficult for clean-up officials to fully document the damage to the St. Lawrence River ecosystem. An attempt was made to determine the [[Mortality rate|mortality]] of wildlife. A count of animal mortality included 226 [[waterfowl]] and [[ducks]] and 508 [[bird]]s, [[mammals]] and [[amphibians]]. Several hundred waterfowl, ducks, other birds, and countless fish were harmed or killed by the spill. Chemical shoreline cleaners were used, much like what was used during the [[Exxon Valdez oil spill]].<ref name=book /> Neighbors worked hand-in-hand with government employees, students and national volunteers for months. Clean-up of the oil was accomplished primarily by intensive hand labor, through power-washing shorelines and hand cutting and hauling contaminated underwater and marsh vegetation. The clean-up was terminated on October 22, 1976; 122 days after the spill. However, many areas with oil contamination were not cleaned-up and the oil was left to degrade naturally.<ref name=76_NEPCO_spill_fact_sheet/> The United States alleged it spent $8,062,981 to clean its territorial waters and reimbursed Canada, pursuant to an executive agreement for their $768,265 spent.<ref name="http://bulk.resource.org/courts.gov/c/F2/664/664.F2d.327.81-6084.1608.html">{{cite web |url=http://bulk.resource.org/courts.gov/c/F2/664/664.F2d.327.81-6084.1608.html |title=664 F.2d 327|accessdate=2009-07-01}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lon=-76.0368898&lat=44.2636576&datum=nad83 Map of Mason Point]
*[http://people.clarkson.edu/~pdy/lawrence.htm  Clarkson University Integrated Oil and Chemical Spill Model]

{{1976 shipwrecks}}

{{coord missing|New York (state)}}

[[Category:Disasters in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Environment of New York (state)]]
[[Category:Jefferson County, New York]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1976]]
[[Category:Oil spills in the United States]]
[[Category:1976 in New York (state)]]
[[Category:1976 in the environment]]