3,500 gallons of crude corn oil spill into Mississippi River near Red Wing ADM facility
A barge spilled up to 3,500 gallons of crude corn oil into the Mississippi River at a Red Wing facility, and a multi-agency response was deployed to contain the material.
City officials say the Red Wing Fire Department responded to the ADM riverfront facility just after noon on Monday after receiving a report of a product spill.
The crude corn oil appeared on the water as a yellow-orange substance. Current estimates indicate that 3,000 to 3,500 gallons may have entered the river.
ADM staff had already placed a containment boom around the barge to prevent material from drifting downstream before fire crews arrived. The local emergency response group responded to help strengthen containment and begin cleanup. Fire crews assisted with placing additional booms downstream to capture material and supported the Goodhue County Sheriff's Office.
The Minnesota State Duty Officer, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and Goodhue County Emergency Management were also notified. Clean Harbors has been engaged to manage product removal and cleanup.
A joint statement from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, the Minnesota Department of Health and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources said all three agencies are "committed to protecting our state's environment, wildlife, and the health of all Minnesotans. On Monday, the MPCA became aware of a vegetable oil leak that occurred near the U.S. Highway 63 bridge in Red Wing on the Mississippi River. This produced a sheen of 50'x500' along the river. The source has been determined to be a barge that is leaking after oil came out of a hatch. The barge has taken measures to contain and collect the vegetable oil."
The agencies said there is no immediate risk to the public. The scene has been turned over to ADM and Clean Harbors for continued mitigation.