Update 1: Unified Command Works to Contain and Remove Oil from Incident Runoff at Salvage Yard in York, Pa.

YORK, PA (March 4, 2026) – The Unified Command, consisting of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP), York County Hazardous Materials Team, York Area Fire/York Regional Emergency Management, and Spring Garden Township, continues to assess, contain and recover oil and remove oiled debris in and near Codorus Creek and an unnamed tributary located within a salvage yard in York, Pa.

Responders have deployed booms to collect and redirect surface oil toward collection points in the unnamed tributary and Codorus Creek. Underflow dams were constructed to mitigate any further discharge from the unnamed tributary.

Underflow dams are a key tool used by oil spill responders to contain oil, fuel, and floating contaminants in streams, ditches, and creeks during environmental cleanup operations. They work by allowing cleaner water at the bottom to pass through a pipe while trapping floating contaminants behind the dam for recovery. These structures are critical for protecting water sources and mitigating environmental damage in small- scale, remote, or hard-to-reach locations.

Workers are also using mechanical tools and vacuums to recover and remove oil and oily debris. Vacuum systems use suction to draw floating oil, water-oil mixtures, and debris from surface water into storage tanks for future disposal.

Residents or local media who have questions about the response activities should contact the Unified Command Joint Information Center (JIC) at YorkSYF.pio@gmail.com.

Future Actions

Responders will conduct boat operations, deploying preventative boom in the Susquehanna River and secondary downstream locations. Workers will also conduct Shoreline Cleanup and Assessment Techniques (SCAT) using aerial drones to assess shoreline conditions and cleanup effectiveness. Water sampling is ongoing.

Unified Command will continue to provide updates on ongoing cleanup and assessment activities to the public.

The Unified Command’s top priority is to ensure the health and safety of the affected public and responders.

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