In response to a reported spill of 500 gallons of #2 heating oil into Lake Champlain (Shelbourne, Vermont), EPA OSCs Young and Pasqerella have been dispatched to the scene. Cleanup activities are underway and being overseen by the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). The OSCs plan to meet with DEC at the scene and provide an assessment of the impact and related cleanup effort. Communications between the EPA Duty Officer and DEC indicate that the spill is confined to a frozen section of waterway located at the shoreline. Although the spill is located within EPA jurisdiction, USCG Burlington was notified of the incident due to their close proximity to the scene (less than 15 miles). As a courtesy, USCG dispatched a technician to the scene to observe the cleanup until the OSCs arrive.
According to DEC, the spill originated from a private residence and occurred as the result of a breached heating oil tank located in the basement of the home. A sump pump located in the basement of the home was running at the time of the spill which resulted in the oil being transferred from the home to the waterway. The oil reached the waterway via an old abandoned pipe line that was used in earlier years to draw water from the lake.
