I find it hard to believe that fish actually live in this section of the Mill Creek.  This section is channelized with a concrete bed and is highly industrial.  In fact, I find it hard to believe that fish live in the creek anywhere south of Elmwood Place.  If they do, then they are truly super-fish.

 

From the 1/11/06 Enquirer:

 

 

Investigators probe possiblity spill killed Mill Creek fish, birds

By Mike Boyer

Enquirer staff writer

 

Investigators from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources are looking into whether discharges from the Cognis Corp. plant in Winton Place before Christmas killed fish and birds in Mill Creek.

 

Dave Combs, special investigator for the Ohio EPA, said his office is investigating separate spills of tallow and two intermediate products - isodecyl alcohol and adipic acid - on Dec. 13 and 14 in the plant, which found its way through storm drains into Mill Creek.

 

"We are cooperating with the ... investigation, but because of this investigation we can't comment further on the incidents," said Kathy Bollmer, Cognis spokeswoman.

 

Cognis produces ingredients for a variety of products from animal and vegetable fats and oils.

 

 

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060111/NEWS01/601110348/1056

 

 

    "I find it hard to believe that fish actually live in this section of the Mill Creek."

 

    Grasscat, you need to take the Mill Creek tour! The Mill Creek is loaded with life. One time I crosses the Mill Creek on I-74, looked down, and spotted a Great Blue Heron, and of course, those magnificent birds are attracted to fish!

All I know is that I once walked over the Mill Creek at Gest St. and almost threw up.  And I saw a tributary in Elmwood Place that was bright green.

 

I probably shouldn't underestimate the ability of life to flourish, though.  I'm certain that you know a lot more about the ecology of the Mill Creek than I do.

 

    The first time I looked at the Mill Creek close was also at Gest Street. It was disgusting, and the top of the water was solid black, like an oil slick.

 

    I have since learned that the vicinity of Gest Street is the worst-looking area of the entire Mill Creek. I have a friend that calls it the "trash equalization area." What happens is that, under certain conditions, the wind from the Ohio River blows floating objects upstream against the current. At some point, the current and the wind come to equilibrium, and every floating thing, whether it be natural debris, trash, or oil and grease, gets caught in this nuetral area, which happens to be at Gest Street. Given enough time, it builds up.

 

    Coming down the Mill Creek in a canoe, if conditions are right, you paddle through relatively clean water, then come to this mess, pass through it, and you are in relatively clean water again. It's a local thing, and if all you saw was the view from Gest Street, you might think the whole Mill Creek was like that, like I first did.

 

    Right now the current probably flushed all of this trash out to the Ohio River, as the Mill Creek is up due to rain.

 

    There's also an emergency sewer overflow from the MSD Gest Street Treatment Plant there. Hopefully, you will never get caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, like former Hamilton County Commissioner John Dowlin did on a Canoe Trip!

 

    As for the bright green stuff, it may have been antifreeze or some other chemical, but a common thing to see is bright green dye, which is just about harmless. MSD uses green dye for testing of the sewer system. At least I like to think it was just green dye!

 

    In no way am I saying that the Mill Creek is pristine. It is not. It is very, very dirty. But, it's not as bad as people say it is. It will not melt the paint off of your boat. There are fish, turtles, birds, and crazy people in canoes in it.

 

    "I'm certain that you know a lot more about the ecology of the Mill Creek than I do."

 

    Well, I've been on the Mill Creek, but I am no ecologist. Dr. Mike Miller of the University of Cincinnati, or Dr. Stanley Hedeen of X, who wrote the Mill Creek book, would be the ones to ask about ecology. I just like to go along for the ride and look at the bridges and things.  :-)

   

Trust me, I have seen most of the Mill Creek from the Ohio all the way up to Butler County.  Most of it looks just fine.  These were just impressions I got, and I have never seen it from a boat.  I guess the way I've seen the Mill Creek is a lot like seeing a city by car, while the way you've seen it is a lot like getting out of the car and walking around.

 

I did enjoy Hedeen's book, BTW.  I find the Mill Creek fascinating to a certain degree.

 

 

    My canoe wants to get in the water. Today would be a great day for a trip on the lower Mill Creek as the Ohio is up and the weather is nice. See the Western Hills Viaduct, Barrier Dam, Southern Railroad Bridge, remnants of the old C&O bridge and old Harrison Avenue Viaduct, and maybe a Great Blue Heron or two. Anyone care to come along?

Well, I guess no one is interested, especially on short notice.  :-(

^ That, and because this isn't a very sexy topic and we're probably the only forumers who have seen this thread....

From the 9/13/06 Enquirer:

 

 

Cognis fined for spills that killed wildlife

BY DAN HORN | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

 

Chemical spills that killed fish and birds in the Mill Creek last year will cost Cognis Corp. more than $400,000 in fines and penalties.

 

Cognis agreed to pay the penalties Tuesday as part of a deal with federal prosecutors in U.S. District Court. The deal requires the company to plead guilty to negligently discharging a pollutant from its plant in Winton Place.

 

Federal investigators say discharges in December killed fish and at least a dozen migratory birds.

 

Cognis agreed to pay $215,000 in fines and $200,000 to the Mill Creek Watershed Council, a community environmental group. The company also will pay $10,000 to Raptor Inc., an organization that cares for injured birds of prey.

 

 

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060913/BIZ01/609130331/1076/rss01

 

From the 9/29/06 Cincinnati Post:

 

 

Cognis is guilty in Mill Creek fish kill

Post staff report

 

Winton Place-based Cognis Corp. pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to violating the Clean Water Act and Migratory Bird Treaty when it released toxic chemicals into the Mill Creek in December and killed thousands of fish and poisoned a dozen waterfowl.

 

A plea agreement recommends that Cognis be fined $215,000. Cognis and prosecutors also recommend that the company contribute $200,000 to the Mill Creek Watershed Council of Communities and $10,000 to Raptor Inc., a program for birds.

 

Cognis also agreed to pay the Ohio Department of Natural Resources nearly $10,000 as restitution for the fish kill.

 

The company also faces three years of probation.

 

 

http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060929/NEWS01/609290362

 

From the 1/13/07 Enquirer:

 

 

Cognis to pay $310K for polluting air

BY MIKE BOYER | [email protected]

 

Chemical maker Cognis Corp. has agreed to pay $310,000 in penalties to resolve air pollution violations dating back five years at its 100-acre plant off Este Avenue.

 

Brad Miller, director of permits and enforcement at Hamilton County Environmental Services, said the settlement is one of the largest involving air pollution violations in Southwest Ohio in recent memory. The largest settlement was a $1.7 million penalty assessed against AK Steel in 2004 resolving a four-year lawsuit over pollution violations at the Middletown Works. About $260,000 of that penalty involved cash paid by the company, the rest was spent on new pollution controls at the plant, he said.

 

Under the Cognis settlement, the company agreed to pay a $290,000 fine to the state and fund a $20,000 pollution-prevention study at the plant, which straddles St. Bernard and Winton Place. Of the $290,000 fine, $62,000 will go to a state program to fund clean diesel fuel-burning school buses.

 

 

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070113/BIZ01/701130336/1076/BIZ