Oil flows into Muddy River on Boston/Brookline line, coating, endangering birds

Brookline and Boston firefighters responded to the Muddy River and Leverett Pond this afternoon on reports of oil - and a heavy petroleum odor, spreading from Leverett Pond at the rear of the Brook House at 33 Pond Ave. in Brookline and at least as far north as the Longwood Green Line stop.

Duck in the river near the Longwood T stop that tried to clean the oil off itself:

Boston firefighters deployed booms to try to contain the spill, which, in addition to the smell, created a sheen that spread downriver. A commander on scene called in a specialized oil-spill trailer stored at the Engine 39 firehouse in South Boston. The New England Wildlife Center, which sent rescuers to the river, say the oil is "suspected to be heating oil."

Goose huddled by booms just upstream of the Longwood T stop this evening:

As word spread, Jamaica Plain residents began organizing a rescue effort to try to clean the potentially lethal oil off the birds - many of which could be seen desperately trying to clean themselves and so ingesting the liquid.

One JP resident drove to the Longwood T stop with a tarp, bottles of water, paper towels and Dawn liquid. A group from the Newhouse Wildlife Rescue in Chelmsford - the organization that saved Nibi the Beaver - came down with pet carriers to try to take the birds in for cleaning.

But Boston Park Rangers, assuming loose control of the site on the Brookline side of the river, told them to stay away from the birds, at least until state Environmental Police arrived and gave the OK. The JP resident started offering some of the bottles of water to people waiting for Environmental Police to show, in case they were thirsty. Then night fell, no Environmental Police had arrived, and the would be rescuers were told to leave.

Unused tarp and other cleaning supplies:

Environmental Police officers and rescuers from the New England Wildlife Center did eventually arrive at the river. The rescuers were able to capture several ducks, which they drove to the center's Weymouth clinic for cleaning and care and said they plan to return in the morning.

The center reports:

Our team will be working overtime tonight intaking, stabilizing, and providing emergency care to the Canada geese and ducks. Our priority is to clear airways and flush oil from the eyes and mouth, and provide heat support to help them compensate. We will begin the washing process once they are stable enough to undergo the procedure.

We will be back on scene first-thing in the morning to continue the rescue effort and get the remaining animals into care.

In the interim, we are asking folks not to approach or attempt to capture any wildlife in this area! They are very stressed and contact with the oil may be harmful to humans and pets. Many of the remaining birds are still able to fly so we don’t want to cause them additional harm or cause them to leave the area.

Since 2022, Brookline residents have filed several 311 reports about oil leaks into the Muddy River system from the area of Pond Avenue, including one in April that stated "Oil leaking along the river contaminated the water and the shore which already made waterfowls sick," another in December, 2023 that oil has been in the water and along the shore for "a while," one in July, 2022 that included a picture of heating-oil drums outside the Brook House and the assertion they were leaking and another two days before that one that complained: "Strong smell of diesel fuel at Pond Ave entrance of Olmsted park. Possible oil spill!!"

Just this past summer, the Army Corps of Engineers completed a multi-year, $90-million project to clean up and restore the river and its banks north of Leverett Pond.