State to probe Dunkard Creek fish kill

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission has turned over its investigation of a fish kill along the Pennsylvania-West Virginia border to the Pennsylvania Attorney General.

The federal Environmental Protection Agency says toxic algae was responsible for killing fish, mussels and other aquatic life in nearly the entire 43-mile length of Dunkard Creek in September.

The EPA’s report says pollution, likely from treated mine water, spurred the algae.

Consol Energy has previously agreed to stop injecting wastewater from coalbed methane gas wells into a mine near the creek.

But no one’s been able to say specifically where the algae came from. Officials says it’s all but impossible to eradicate.