American Notes POLLUTION

The barge loaded with 4.2 million gal. of home-heating oil was pulling away from a terminal near New York harbor last week when two huge explosions tore gaping holes in the hull. Nearly 200,000 gal. of fuel poured into the Arthur Kill, a narrow waterway between Staten Island and New Jersey. For the fourth time this year, a major spill threatened birds, turtles and other wildlife that dwell in the fragile wetlands.

Accidents in New York's waterways have become the rule rather than the exception in recent years. Almost 400 spills occurred in New York harbor in 1989; this year there have been more than 100. Federal, state and local officials are supposed to regulate traffic through the waterways. But in the wake of severe budget cuts and a shortage of inspectors, the industry has been largely allowed to police itself. It has been doing a rotten job.