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EPA's Oil Spill Cleanup Efforts Ongoing in Flooded Areas of Trenton, New Jersey

Release Date: 04/07/2005
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FOR RELEASE: Thursday, April 7, 2005

(#05128) NEW YORK -- In the aftermath of the flooding that hit the city of Trenton's Island community, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been retrieving drums and cylinders floating in the Delaware River near the Island section of Trenton. The thirteen 55-gallon drums that have been recovered so far have been mostly empty, as are the approximately 100 containers of various sizes that have retrieved to date. EPA will ensure that all the material collected will be properly disposed of. The Agency has also vacuumed an estimated 2500 gallons of oil-contaminated water from residential basements in the Island section of the city.

"EPA is doing its part in the flood recovery efforts," said Acting EPA Regional Administrator Kathleen C. Callahan. "We've teamed up with the Coast Guard Atlantic Strike Team in our drum recovery efforts and we're working closely with the city of Trenton to identify other areas where our help is needed."

EPA is using $200,000 from the federal Superfund program and $40,000 from the Oil Spill Liability Fund to finance the work, which began on April 5 in response to a request from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to help the city address problems caused by the flooding.