MOUNT VERNON — Several agencies are involved in cleaning up or assessing the damage from the crude oil spill Friday in Jefferson Township along Jericho Road.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Mineral Resources is responsible for determining the cause of the spill and working with the landowner to correct any problems.
Oil and gas well inspector Will Ziegler said the investigation will take another day or two before he issues a report on the cause of the spill. Although initially a faulty valve on the oil storage tank on the James Landoll farm was blamed for the spill, Ziegler said it appeared the bottom of the tank had given way.
The tank has a capacity of 100 barrels (4,200 gallons) of oil and it was thought to be about half full, he said. A containment dike around the tank is supposed to keep spills from spreading, but it also failed, “probably due to groundhogs,” Ziegler said.
