Greenpoint Oil Spill on Newtown Creek

One of the world’s largest underground oil spills lurks beneath the shores of Newtown Creek in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, courtesy of oil companies such as ExxonMobil, ChevronTexaco, and others. At approximately 17 million gallons and 55 acres, the spill is at least 6 million gallons larger than the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska. The spill is the result of leaks in the 1940s and 1950s. ExxonMobil neglected the spill for more than two decades, as it slowly migrated under the community and into the creek.

In a 1978 helicopter patrol, the US Coast Guard discovered a large plume of oil flowing out of the banks of the creek. Virtually no action was taken until 1990, when the state entered into consent orders with ExxonMobil. Rather than bring the company to justice, the order required only the most rudimentary cleanup, demanded no cleanup benchmark, and failed to order a single penny in penalties. Little has improved in the interim. The spill has been oozing under Greenpoint for five decades, destroying the local aquifer, rendering more than 50 acres of land undevelopable, settling under more than 100 homes on three residential blocks, severely contaminating Newtown Creek, and threatening aquatic life harbor-wide.

To ensure this spill receives immediate attention, Riverkeeper and six residents of Brooklyn and Queens filed a letter of intent to sue ExxonMobil, ChevronTexaco, and ohters under the Clean Water Act (CWA) and/or the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). This letter, filed on January 26, 2004, provides sixty days (under CWA) and ninety days (under RCRA) for the defendants to come into compliance, after which Riverkeeper may file to hear the case in court. Riverkeeper announced the filing during a press conference at City Hall in Manhattan, joined by Councilmembers David Yassky (Brooklyn) and Eric Gioia (Queens), and other concerned residents and responsible businesses. Since then, both Council members have joined the suit as coplaintiffs.

• Documents Submitted for Newtown Creek Superfund Designation

  Riverkeeper Comments NPL Proposed Rule 12-23-09

  Letter from Newtown Creek Alliance – Attachment A

• A Slippery Past

  History of the Greenpoint Oil Spill
  Learn More

• Effects of the Spill TodaySliding Into the Present

  Despite efforts to remediate the site, the spill at Newtown Creek continues to threaten the environment and surrounding communities. Learn More

• History of Riverkeeper's Involvement

  In January 2004, Riverkeeper initiated a citizen suit against two of the world’s largest oil companies for the largest urban oil spill—right in the heart of New York City. In May 2004, Riverkeeper filed the lawsuit itself against ExxonMobil for violation of the Clean Water Act and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, and NYC Councilmembers David Yassky and Eric Gioia have joined the case as co-plaintiffs.

  For more than half a century, 17 millions of gallons of oil have been oozing beneath Greenpoint, Brooklyn, courtesy of ExxonMobil and other oil companies. The spill courses beneath 55 acres of industrial, commercial, and residential property, affecting 100 homes and dozens of businesses. Petroleum from the spill continuously leaks into Newtown Creek; globs of oil and a rainbow sheen constantly coat the surface of this small waterway separating Brooklyn and Queens. The spill – 50% larger than the Exxon Valdez disaster – is a major source of contamination throughout the New York Harbor. Carcinogens, lead, and a bevy of other toxins are carried for miles with the tides and currents. Though discovered 25 years ago and brought under state enforcement in 1990, remedial efforts have been a failure. The companies continue to violate federal law. Riverkeeper took decisive action on January 26, placing the companies on formal notice of the organization’s intent to file citizen suits under the federal Clean Water Act (“CWA”) and Resource Conservation & Recovery Act (“RCRA”).

  The Greenpoint spill is an environmental affront to both the Brooklyn community and citizens across the city. Riverkeeper’s aim is to accelerate spill remediation, ensure that the aquifer and its soils are restored, prevent oil from entering Newtown Creek, and to protect the health and welfare of New Yorkers. Brooklyn has suffered long enough from these blights and it is time to bring these companies to justice. Click on the links below to learn more about the history and effects of this massive spill.

• Congress Gets EPA Action on Newtown Creek Oil Spill

  On October 16, 2008 Senator Chuck Schumer , Representative Anthony Weiner and Nydia Velazquez announced their success in initiating a landmark study of the Greenpoint Oil Spill. On the banks of Newtown Creek, the three were joined by Assemblyman Joseph Lentol , NYC Councilman David Yassky, and more than a dozen concerned residents of Greenpoint. The one year study will analyze the spill’s impacts on Newtown Creek as well as the soil, water, and air in Greenpoint. The elected officials also called for expanded benzene and methane testing and the creation of a federal health registry to track those potentially affected by the spill.

• Greenpoint Homeowners Sue ExxonMobil, BP, and Chevron

  The residents are represented by the firm Girardi & Keese. As reported by the front page of the NY Daily News, famed environmental activist Erin Brockovich has signed on to help. To learn more, see www.greenpointvexxon.com.