Motor oil spill threatens Wash. apple orchards

摘要

An estimated 1,500 gallons of used motor oil leaked from a storage tank into a creek that flows into the Yakima River in Washington state, officials said yesterday. The spill occurred Sunday in the state's apple-growing hub, and officials said the leak could be a threat to otters, waterfowl and fish in the area. The state Department of Ecology said that it is still investigating the cause of the spill and that cleanup efforts are underway. "In a couple of weeks, the canals will all be full and [farmers] will be watering their crops and their orchards, so we want to get this cleaned up," said Joyce Redfield-Wilder, a department spokeswoman (Eric M. Johnson, Reuters, March 2).