At least 18 birds, other wildlife being treated after exposure to Potomac River oil slick

BY MICHELLE ALTENBERG, JEFF GOLDBERG, ABC7 FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5TH 2016

ARLINGTON, Va. (ABC7) — A petroleum-based oil slick on the surface of the Potomac River has sent at least 18 birds and an unknown number of fish into rehabilitation, the Coast Guard said Friday.

Seven geese with an oily sheen covering their feathers could be seen waddling along the riverbank Friday afternoon. Experts were preparing to recover the birds and take them in for treatment, according to ABC7 Reporter Jeff Goldberg.

The oil slick, which extends along the Potomac from Reagan National Airport to Wilson Bridge, poses no public health threat, according to the Coast Guard.

Officials said crews are working around the clock to clear the river of the petroleum product, but there is still no estimated completion date.

The Coast Guard said there is a heavy concentration of the oil at Roaches Run, but the origin of the oil is still unknown.

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