New Berlin oil spill emergency lifted; who's paying for cleanup?
NEW BERLIN, Wis. - New Berlin's mayor on Wednesday, May 10 lifted an emergency order put in place after a March oil spill.
For the first time in two months, it meant Terry Quigley was back on his favorite trail.
"It’s good to have it open again. The neighborhood uses it," he said. "They wouldn’t let us run through here. There was an alternative route."
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On March 16, city leaders said employees at Moorland Auto Repair were moving a 350-gallon oil storage tote when it was damaged. Oil got into city storm sewers, a creek and retention ponds. It went unreported for three days until someone called 911.
"Kids and people walking the path there all the time. You wonder if they’ll get stuff in their shoes, hands, face – whatever," said Joe Yakel.
Booms used to contain New Berlin oil spill
Yakel watched the cleanup from his backyard and often wondered who was paying for it.
"It shouldn’t fall on us in New Berlin. It’s ridiculous," he said.
New Berlin said its staff used booms and absorption matting to initially contain the spill. The mayor declared a state of emergency on March 20 to expedite resources to the area.
Wednesday, New Berlin's emergency management director told FOX6 News the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources took over cleanup efforts and hired Clean Harbors to help.
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"They had a lot of industrial-type traffic. Big machinery had to come out of here," Quigley said.
A DNR spokesperson said costs are still being calculated, and the final total could reach six figures. The DNR is required under law to try to get reimbursed from the responsible party. FOX6 spoke to the owner of Moorland Auto Repair off camera; he wouldn't answer questions about costs and said he, too, is waiting for answers.
"Who pays for it should not be the taxpayer," Quigley said.
The state of emergency meant the public wasn’t allowed into the park during the cleanup. The DNR said cleanup is "largely completed."