Bubbly Creek Restrictions To Be Lifted Friday
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The U.S. Coast Guard will remove restrictions around the Bubbly Creek section of the Chicago river on Friday following cleanup efforts from an oil spill in October.
The remaining clean-up will continue through Thursday. The work includes removing the boom, residual oil, as well as decontaminating boats and equipment.
The spill was spotted in the south fork of the Chicago River in October in the Bridgeport neighborhood near Ashland Avenue. The sheen of dark oil later spread from Bubbly Creek to the river's South Branch, as far west as Pulaski Road.
The oil was identified as slightly weathered low-sulfur diesel fuel mixed with lubricating oil.
The source of the sheen remains unknown.
The Environmental Protection Agency finished the oil recovery at Bubbly Creek, as well as within the Chicago Sanitary & Ship Canal.
Residual oil remains in the inlet between Ashland Avenue and Laflin Street.
The U.S. Coast Guard restriction to Bubbly Creek is expected to be lifted this Friday November 10, 2017. The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago is helping the EPA with assistance in its investigation into the source of the spill.
One oiled Canadian goose and two turtles were transferred to wildlife rehabilitators.
In total, four dead turtles, one dead Canada goose, one dead seagull and 43 dead fish were recovered from the site.
