šØ DIESEL SPILL FROM SECAUCUS DATA CENTER PROMPTS ONGOING CLEANUP ALONG ANDERSON CREEK šā½
Cleanup crews are removing about 5,000 gallons of diesel fuel that leaked from a Secaucus data center into Anderson Creek on Friday. Officials say the spill was caused by a mechanical failure and has not impacted the Hackensack River or wildlife.
SECAUCUS, NJ ā An estimated 5,000 gallons of No. 2 diesel fuel were released from an Equinix data center in Secaucus Friday evening, with fuel entering Anderson Creek, a small tributary connected to the Hackensack River.
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection says cleanup crews continue working to remove fuel from affected portions of the creek. Contractors are using vacuum trucks and absorbent materials to recover the fuel and properly dispose of it.
The DEP and U.S. Coast Guard have been monitoring the Hackensack River and protective booms placed near the creek's mouth. Officials report that they have not observed impacts to the Hackensack River or wildlife, and there are no drinking-water intakes in the area.
Equinix said its operations team detected the leak Friday evening and stopped the release. The company said its investigation identified a mechanical failure involving two valves used during a routine fuel-filtration process.
The company hired contractors to conduct the cleanup and is working with state and local officials on the ongoing response and investigation.
š THE CLEANUP
According to the DEP, a significant portion of the fuel entered a storm drain and was removed during the initial cleanup over the weekend. Additional recovery work is continuing along the creek.
Officials have emphasized that monitoring of the Hackensack River remains ongoing as cleanup operations continue.
The incident has also renewed debate surrounding the growth of data centers in New Jersey, with environmental advocates raising concerns about potential environmental and infrastructure impacts.
š Garden State News Network will continue monitoring the cleanup and any additional information released by officials.
šø Photos by: NJ DEP