In the Heart of Brooklyn

By Basil Seggos, Chief Investigator, Hudson Riverkeeper

»Five minutes past noon on October 5, 1950, Greenpoint, Brooklyn shook with a blast from a huge underground explosion. The explosion ripped out a 10-foot section of pavement, shot 25 manhole covers into the air and shattered windowpanes on more than 500 buildings in this densely packed industrial and working class neighborhood. Fire department officials blamed the explosion on underground leaks of gasoline from the Standard Oil refinery a quarter-mile away. The explosion generated attention, but newspaper records show no further investigation of the gasoline leaks or the likelihood of a serious underground spill. The matter fell from public consciousness for nearly three decades.

Twenty eight years later, the spill was “rediscovered” when the Coast Guard spotted an oil slick on Newtown Creek during a routine pa

trol. The spill is colossal. A 1979 report by the Coast Guard found that 17 million gallons had spilled and spread over 55 acres. The “product” lies mostly on top of the water table, in a layer ranging in thickness from a few inches to almost 20 feet. It contains a mixture of degraded gasoline, fuel oil and naphtha. The spill dates back to 1948, right before the massive underground explosion. The Coast Guard attributed responsibility for the spill primarily to the Newtown Creek refinery of the Standard Oil Company now owned by Mobil.

No enforcement action was taken by the state or federal government, despite the damning conclusions of the Coast Guard report. Except for the tireless advocacy of a small band of dedicated activists, the matter again fell from the public consciousness for another decade.

Oily water seeps continuously into the creek from the almost 60 year-old underground spill, poisoning water and exposing area residents to volatile fumes. Exxon, Chevron and British Petroleum are named in lawsuits by Hudson Riverkeeper and area residents trying to force the cleanup of a 17 million barrel underground oil spill.