News Release

For Release:  Nov. 6, 2007             
Contact: Jeff Fontana (530) 252-5332
CA-N-08-8

BLM Needs Information on Hazardous Waste Dumping at Cow Mountain

Officials at the U. S. Bureau of Land Management are offering a $500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for dumping a petroleum product into a drainage culvert at South Cow Mountain east of Ukiah.
 
“During the week of October 29, someone dumped at least 1,000 gallons of fluid into a culvert,” said Rich Burns, field manager for the BLM’s Ukiah Field Office.  “It’s going to cost more than $6,000 to clean up the mess and dispose of the contaminated soil.”
 
Burns said the material is probably transmission fluid. A chemical analysis is pending.  The dumping incident is especially troubling, he said, because the culvert drains into Scotts Creek and eventually into Clear Lake.  Burns said an accumulation of silt has prevented the material from flowing through the culvert, but the BLM must complete the cleanup before the rainy season.
 
The incident occurred in a drainage just east of the Cow Mountain Staging area off Mill Creek Road.
 
The Cow Mountain National Recreation Area is popular for motorcycling and off road driving. The north part of the mountain is used for hiking and other non-motorized sports.

-BLM-

Ukiah Field Office   2550 North State Street     Ukiah, California  95842