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Greene County ponders where to put oil spill trailer
Greg Hudson and Daniel Zuckerman are reporting in The Daily Mail on Greene County's plans for the emergency response trailer it is slated to receive from the state. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's office Mon., Dec. 5 announced 24 emergency response trailers will be placed at key locations along the state’s crude oil transportation corridor, including one in Albany and four others in the Capital Region. The trailers will be equipped with absorbent materials, booms and other tools used to control and contain crude oil and petroleum spills, and be managed by the state Department of Environmental Conservation and county emergency management departments. "These [trailers] are to mitigate and minimize the spread of oil that might leak out of a tank train," DEC environmental remediation strategist Kevin Hale said. The trailers will help with oil spill clean up, but they are not intended for use in fighting any fires or explosions that may occur as a result of a crash or spill. That responsibility remains with local fire and emergency management crews. DEC spokesman Jomo Miller said Greene County has not picked up its trailer yet. He said the county would determine its location after it identifies the high risk areas. Greene County Administrator Shaun Groden said assigning a housing location for the trailer would be the responsibility of the Greene County Hazardous Materials Team, and it will be Emergency Services Director John Farrell's job to meet with local fire chiefs to help determine the best site for the trailer. Scenic Hudson Director of Environmental Advocacy Hayley Carlock described the announcement as a "small and incremental step" to protect residents and the environment. "This is definitely a step in the right direction," she said. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.