Environmental Advocates Call on DEC for Action on Abandoned Southern Tier Pipeline

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. -- Environmental advocates are calling on the DEC to do something about an abandoned pipeline in the Southern Tier.

Toxics Targeting Incorporated spoke out about the 300 mile crude oil pipeline Tuesday. They say DEC findings show that the pipeline caused massive soil and ground-water contamination across the region.

It was the nation's first ever large-scale crude oil pipeline, built in 1881, stretching from Olean to Bayonne, New Jersey.

Toxics Targeting says the DEC failed to clean up the pollution to state standards even though water supply wells, streams and homes are near contaminated areas.

"It is a continuing threat to the environment and to the public health. People live very close to this pipeline alignment; they’ve never been told about these problems and they ought to be alerted,” said Walter Hang, the president of Toxics Targeting Inc.

The pipeline was in use until 1925, pushing through 55,000 barrels of oil per day.