Understanding Oil Spills and Oil Spill Response - Understanding Oil Spills in Freshwater Environments

The purpose of this booklet is to provide information about oil spills. It contains chapters that outline and explain oil spills, their potential effects on the environment, how they are cleaned up, and how various agencies prepare for spills before they happen. Details about five oil spills are provided to show different types of spills and the complexities and issues involved in responding to them. This oil spill discussion includes the Exxon Valdez spill of March 1989; the Ashland oil spill of January 1988; the Wisconsin fire and butter spill in May 1991; the Colonial Pipeline spill of March 1993; and the Lake Lanier soybean oil spill in Atlanta in 1994.