Residents outraged after transmission line springs underwater leak in East Rockaway
The New York State DEC says on Tuesday PSEG Long Island detected a change pressure within a transmission cable and another leak was discovered.
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A sheen of oil is coating the surface of Mill River in East Rockaway for the second time in just four months.
As News 12 reported, dielectric fluid, a mineral oil used to insulate electric lines, started leaking from an underwater transmission line back in July and repairs were made.
The New York State DEC says on Tuesday PSEG Long Island detected a change pressure within a transmission cable and another leak was discovered.
PSEG is still working to find the source of this leak and reduced pressure in the cable to minimize the oil spill.
News 12 is told that oil is moving through an outflow pipe in the bulkhead on Atlantic Avenue.
The DEC says crews are vacuuming up the spill as well as sweeping the surface of the water to collect the fluid that leaked out.
With multiple spills in the same spot in East Rockaway, some residents in the area say more needs to be done.
"It's got to get addressed, and until somebody gets fined for it, you know, suffers some sort of consequences, how many times is it going to happen?" said John Kraljic, of Rockville Centre.
PSEG says the fluid is non-hazardous to humans, although the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says it can be harmful to fish and birds.
The DEC says no wildlife has been impacted yet.
News 12 asked the utility, which maintains the cable for LIPA, a series of questions including if this is the same line that leaked over the summer and it responded with the following statement:
"On Nov. 25, PSEG Long Island removed an underground transmission cable from service because of a leak of nonhazardous dielectric fluid. No customers were affected. The flow of dielectric fluid was quickly minimized and crews have begun excavating to uncover and patch the leak. The investigation is ongoing.
This transmission cable running beneath the Mill River Bridge along Atlantic Avenue in East Rockaway and Oceanside provides critical electric service for customers throughout western Nassau County. PSEG Long Island is working in cooperation with the U.S. Coast Guard and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to remediate the nonhazardous fluid, which is similar to mineral oil. PSEG Long Island has also been in close contact with town and village officials to keep them apprised of the work being performed."
