An estimated 10-plus gallons of motor oil were apparently dumped into Arrowhead Mountain Lake near the Georgia-Milton town line, officials said.
Vermont State Police said both town’s fire departments responded to the problem at about 7 a.m. Sunday, and found “a significant amount of oil” extending several hundred feet along the lakeshore next to the Lamoille River inlet, said Georgia Fire Chief Keith Baker.
The oil was within 5 to 10 feet of the shore, he said.
Multiple oil containers were also found nearby.
Baker said fire crews used spill containment booms to hold in the oil, which is now being cleaned up by contractors hired by the state Hazardous Materials Response Team.
Cleanup is expected to take several days, he said.
Baker said the Georgia Fire Department has responded before to illegal dumping near Arrowhead Mountain Lake, especially around the boat launch.
“It’s not uncommon to find people dumping trash or things like that,” he said, but a dump of hazardous material such as oil is something new.
The state Agency of Natural Resources also sent an officer to the lake and is investigating.
Anyone with information about the apparent oil-dumping is asked to call the Agency of Natural Resources or state police at 802-524-5993.
