Monday, September 29, 2008
TATAMY, Pa. (AP) — State environmental officials say quarry pumps may be the cause of a major fish kill in an eastern Pennsylvania creek.
Jeff Sabo, of the Fish and Boat Commission, says “a tremendous amount” of trout, minnows and crustaceans died in Bushkill Creek near Tatamy after parts of the waterway ran dry Saturday.
Department of Environmental Protection spokesman Mark Carmon says the problems started when a cement company in Stockertown turned off one set of quarry pumps for maintenance. He says the auxiliary pumps might have provided less water to the creek.
The company could not be reached for comment.
Volunteers walked the slippery stream bed with buckets and nets scooping up stranded fish.