BISMARCK, N.D. – The North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality (NDDEQ) responded to a chemical spill following an agricultural implement accident in the Cannonball River near New England yesterday. The incident resulted in the release of an undetermined amount of diesel fuel and approximately 200 gallons of chemicals into the waterway. Thankfully, the driver of the vehicle involved was uninjured.
Hettinger County Emergency Management quickly deployed a boom to contain the spill, and NDDEQ personnel arrived on-site to collect water samples for analysis. The public is asked to avoid recreational activities within a one-mile radius both upstream and downstream from the incident site. Additionally, consumption of fish from the affected area is discouraged until further notice.
Personnel from the NDDEQ have inspected the site and are working with the responsible party on cleanup. They will continue to monitor the remediation. Authorities will provide updates to the public once water sample results confirm the area is safe.
Federal and state laws require operators to report the spillage of any materials that may pollute water, air or soil. Visit spill.nd.gov for more information about North Dakota’s Unified Spill Reporting System notifications and the public access tool.
