Oil remains in Massapequa Park canal year after spill

<p>Residents say they're still seeing and smelling oil in a Massapequa Park canal almost a year after a spill.</p>

News 12 Staff

Nov 23, 2018, 10:28 PM

Updated 2,141 days ago

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Residents say they're still seeing and smelling oil in a Massapequa Park canal almost a year after a spill.
Joe Maxwell says he discovered the oil coming from his neighbor's house in July 2017. He took photos of it with his drone. A few months later, Maxwell says the Department of Environmental Conservation came in and found that the leak was coming from a 550-gallon oil tank belonging to Slomin's Heating and Cooling.
The DEC required Slomin's to clean up the mess. The DEC says it's now dealing with very minimal oil left.
Residents say the DEC isn't demanding enough from Slomin's and that it's affecting their quality of life.
Maxwell and his neighbors say they can't always see the oil slick when they come outside and look at the water. But when they step outside their houses, they can smell it.
The DEC says the oil will eventually clear, although it can't pinpoint how long it will take. Residents say that answer isn't good enough.
News 12 did not immediately hear back from Slomin's for comment.