© 2024 WFAE
90.7 Charlotte 93.7 Southern Pines 90.3 Hickory 106.1 Laurinburg
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

After Oil Spill, Ducks Return Home to Little Sugar Creek

A cleanup of Little Sugar Creek has been completed after a diesel spill just before Thanksgiving.  Ducks along the waterway were covered in oil, but they’ve now been nursed back to health as well. Thursday morning, some returned home Freedom Park, just in time for Christmas.

Volunteers from Carolina Waterfowl Rescue released eight ducks rescued last month after the spill into Little Sugar Creek, near uptown Charlotte.

About 1,000 gallons of diesel leaked November 24th from an emergency generator atop the NASCAR Plaza building uptown. The oil flowed out of the building through storm drains, and into the creek. Animal rescue volunteers found a dozen ducks and six turtles dead, after they were coated with oil.   Another 30 oil-covered ducks and 10 turtles were found alive, and volunteers have spent the past month cleaning them.  The remaining ducks will be released after more treatment.   

Building owner Parkway Properties says its environmental contractor finished the cleanup Dec. 7. The company also donated $5,000 to the Carolina Waterfowl Rescue.   

City officials are still reviewing information about the spill before they decide on any penalties.

David Boraks previously covered climate change and the environment for WFAE. See more at www.wfae.org/climate-news. He also has covered housing and homelessness, energy and the environment, transportation and business.