Can fuel spills be cleaned up?
Often not. In September 2001 a tanker truck wrecked on I-65 two miles south of Park City. Some 3,800 gallons of diesel fuel spilled into cracks and down into the cave before any interception could take place. The spill threatens to kill a significant portion of the aquatic life in Mammoth Cave National Park. This is just the latest in a string of unfortunate spills of gasoline, cyanide, propane, electroplating heavy metals, and whey in this karst area. Furthermore, slow seepage of contaminants is equally dangerous. Airports are notorious for spills of gasoline, jet fuel, petroleum products, machinery cleaners, and anti-icing fluids. The Northern Kentucky Airport recently polluted two nearby creeks with unauthorized discharges.
