23-MILE-LONG OIL SLICK THREATENS OREGON WATERS
17 January 2004

A large spill of oil, laced with banned carcinogenic PCB's, was released into the Columbia River, from the transformer of a major Dam. A "rainbow-hued streak" stretched for 23 miles, according to observers along the river's banks. After several days flowing downstream, the slick had reached the Bonneville dam, 40 miles away, but was no longer in full view at the surface. The extent of damage to wildlife, including fish and waterfowl, is as yet undetermined.

Environmentalists have accused the Army Corps of Engineers of not doing enough to contain the spill. According to the Oregonian:

In 2001, a three-year study by the National Marine Fisheries Service found alarming levels of PCBs in Columbia River salmon from previous spills.

185 shad were found dead near the point of discharge. A joint team from the Audubon Society and the Columbia Riverkeepers have converged on the river to attempt to minimize environmental fallout. [For more: Oregonian]