Golden defends Bayside Fuel in Gravesend oil spill debacle
In the wake of an oil spill that saw 27,000 gallons of oil seep into Brooklyn’s Gravesend Bay, and after Democratic lawmakers held a press conference near the site to blast state environmental officials, Republican state Sen. Marty Golden stepped forward to defend the company responsible for the incident.
Golden (R-C-Bay Ridge-Southwest Brooklyn) said Bayside Fuel Oil responded quickly to the March 30 oil spill and is working with city, state and federal agencies on the cleanup.
“Bayside Fuel Oil takes full responsibility for the human error that led to this spill and will pay all expenses associated with the remediation. For almost 100 years, Bayside Fuel Oil Depot Corp. has a long history of job creation and economic activity here in Brooklyn. They have employed thousands of local men and women, generating millions of dollars in tax revenue and actively involved in community affairs. I am confident that Bayside Fuel Oil working with local environmental agencies will not only clean up the oil spill, but will also work to ensure the prevention of future accidents,” Golden said in a statement.
Golden cited media reports pointing to human error as the cause for the oil spill that took place on March 30 at approximately 2:30 a.m.