Oil spill wrongly attributed to Capital
Ben Ferree
Issue date: 2/18/10 Section: News
NBC Channel 4 reported Monday that Capital claimed responsibility for an oil spill that reportedly occurred in Alum Creek Sunday night.
The-two-and-a-half mile long oil slick began at Livingston Avenue and stretched to Rt. 104 overpass.
Capital's administration quickly responded with an e-mail to all students and faculty.
The e-mail read, in part, "It was inaccurately reported on the news today that Capital University had claimed responsibility for a recent fuel oil spill affecting Alum Creek.
"This is an unfortunate error, and we believe it is important to correct any misinformation...Capital is making every effort to help the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency determine the source of the spill. At no time did the university claim responsibility."
Confusion regarding the source of the Alum Creek spill occurred because Capital did suffer a heating oil spill around the same time in a boiler room, but the heating oil spill was of a much smaller level.
Capital reported losing 30 to 40 gallons of fluid, while the spill in the river is believed to have been as much as 200 gallons.
NBC 4 changed its story online and placed no blame on Capital.
"The EPA said the source could not be Capital University because of the quantity that was cleaned up in Alum Creek," Channel 4 said.
Capital did contact the EPA in response to the Alum Creek spill, and to try and help them figure out the cause.
According to the e-mail sent to students, "After contacting the EPA, Capital's Facilities Management team worked closely on Monday with investigators.
"Following a day-long investigation of the Alum Creek spill and the site of the spill in Capital's boiler room, Mike Dalton, senior on-scene coordinator for the Ohio EPA, said it was highly unlikely that Capital was the source of the spill and that he has nearly ruled it out as a possibility."
The EPA is still investigating the Alum Creek spill.
By Ben Ferree
Contributor
bferree@capital.edu
The-two-and-a-half mile long oil slick began at Livingston Avenue and stretched to Rt. 104 overpass.
Capital's administration quickly responded with an e-mail to all students and faculty.
The e-mail read, in part, "It was inaccurately reported on the news today that Capital University had claimed responsibility for a recent fuel oil spill affecting Alum Creek.
"This is an unfortunate error, and we believe it is important to correct any misinformation...Capital is making every effort to help the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency determine the source of the spill. At no time did the university claim responsibility."
Confusion regarding the source of the Alum Creek spill occurred because Capital did suffer a heating oil spill around the same time in a boiler room, but the heating oil spill was of a much smaller level.
Capital reported losing 30 to 40 gallons of fluid, while the spill in the river is believed to have been as much as 200 gallons.
NBC 4 changed its story online and placed no blame on Capital.
"The EPA said the source could not be Capital University because of the quantity that was cleaned up in Alum Creek," Channel 4 said.
Capital did contact the EPA in response to the Alum Creek spill, and to try and help them figure out the cause.
According to the e-mail sent to students, "After contacting the EPA, Capital's Facilities Management team worked closely on Monday with investigators.
"Following a day-long investigation of the Alum Creek spill and the site of the spill in Capital's boiler room, Mike Dalton, senior on-scene coordinator for the Ohio EPA, said it was highly unlikely that Capital was the source of the spill and that he has nearly ruled it out as a possibility."
The EPA is still investigating the Alum Creek spill.
By Ben Ferree
Contributor
bferree@capital.edu
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