Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Big in Brooklyn: Greenpoint Oil Spill "May Be Even Larger Than Originally Estimated"
By
Jen Chung
Published Sep 13, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Chung
Published Sep 13, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Will there ever be a point when there are stories about the Greenpoint oil spill cleanup, instead of stories about how big and dangerous the spill is? Representatives Anthony Weiner and Nydia Velazquez released the results of the first EPA study (first study ever after, what, 29 years!) of the Greenpoint oil spill, and they are pretty ugly. Here some excerpts from the press release:
- The original estimated size of the spill of 17 million gallons by a 1979 Coast Guard report should be used with caution. The present size of the plume suggests the original volume estimate may have been low. Estimates are as high as 30 million gallons.
- Northern border (Newtown Creek) is larger than originally mapped in 1979.
- Western border, “is somewhat expanded” from the original mapping.
- Eastern border: “appears to be moving across the former Paragon property.”
- A small thin plume has separated and flows along Meeker Avenue.
- Southern border is stable. - Approximately 8.8 million gallons of the spill has been recovered. EPA cautions that this recovery volume may be overestimated.
- Only about 70% of the petroleum on the ground water is recoverable because of the urban setting, and because oil gets trapped in the soil--The American Petroleum Institute estimated in 40% to 80% will remain in the soil.
- While the spill has been well contained, at present, seepage continues into Newtown Creek.
There are known problems, like large amounts of methane gas and benzene found near homes in the area, but it's unclear whether the water supply has been affected by the spill. Unsurprisingly, the EPA thinks a re-evaluation is warranted.
Back in 1978, a Coast Guard pilot noticed an oil plume off Newtown Creek: It turned out the biggest oil spill in American history (more than the 11 million from the Exxon Valdez spill) had been taking place since the 1940s and 1950s, thanks to Exxon and in 1978, the spill covered 55 acres. Weiner and Velazquez are still unsatisfied with the EPA study, saying that more questions need to be answered and that clean-up need to happen immediately.
The Riverkeeper Group filed a lawsuit on behalf of Greenpoint residents in 2004: Check out the Residents of Greenpoint, Brooklyn V. Exxon lawsuit website - it has tons of documents and maps. The New Yorker in 2004 and Village Voice last year looked at this little-known spill; NPR also covered it, because the area of the spill was one of the sites for the NYC 2012 Olympic bid. And Erin Brockovich (the real one) has been working on the case, too. Earlier this year, Attorney General Cuomo said the state would sue Exxon
Tagged
anthony weiner
attorney general
attorney general cuomo
brooklyn
coast guard
environment
erin brockovich
exxon valdez
history
jen chung
lawsuit
maps
new yorker
News: NYC
newtown creek
NPR
nyc
oil spill
pollution
The American
the new yorker
village voice
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
New Yorkers are paying $300 million for natural gas they don't even use
A new study found that nearly 2% of the city's natural gas is leaking into the air and causing climate pollution.
By
Rosemary Misdary
Published Oct 14, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. ET
Early Addition: Eric Adams did not convince a Wisconsin town to build a data center
Because the vote against it was unanimous, here are your early links: Jacket weather, swishing your Guinness, spooky decorations in North Jersey and more.
By
James Ramsay
News
Early Addition: Eric Adams did not convince a Wisconsin town to build a data center
Because the vote against it was unanimous, here are your early links: Jacket weather, swishing your Guinness, spooky decorations in North Jersey and more.
By
James Ramsay
Hit-and-run driver arrested trying to flee to Uzbekistan after deadly crash, NYPD says
By
Brittany Kriegstein
NY measles outbreak more widespread than official count, health officials say
By
Caroline Lewis
A NYC judge brought his gun into court for an ‘experiment’. Now he’s censured.
By
Samantha Max
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .