The Nation : Oil Spill Extends 50 Miles on Ohio River

A diesel oil spill floated along about 50 miles of the Ohio River but authorities said it was dissipating and did not threaten drinking water supplies. Coast Guard officials said that the spill started somewhere southwest of Cincinnati and that they were still searching for the source of the fuel. The oil extended from Madison, Ind., to Louisville, Ky. Barge fleets, towboats and holding tanks along the river were all being checked. The water was said to be too choppy for an attempt to contain the slick. Nearly 1 million gallons of oil fouled the Ohio River last January when an Ashland Oil Co. storage tank collapsed near Pittsburgh, Pa. That spill, one of the largest inland fuel spills in U.S. history, endangered water supplies for thousands of people as it flowed along the Ohio River.