Attorney General to Conduct Criminal Probe into Dunkard Fish Kill
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
3 December 2009
By Don Hopey,
The Pennsylvania attorney general has been asked to conduct a criminal
investigation of the massive fish kill on 43 miles of Dunkard Creek,
near the Pennsylvania-West Virginia border.
Tom Crist, a waterways conservation officer with the state Fish and
Boat Commission, said the commission has turned its investigation
information over to the attorney general's office for the purpose of a
criminal inquiry.
Mr. Crist, who was speaking tonight before a crowd of more than 200
people at an informational meeting about the fish kill in Mt. Morris,
Greene County, declined further coment.
Len Lichvar, a Pennsylvania Fish and Boat commissioner, said the
investigation was referred to the AG in mid-October.
"We asked the attorney general to examine the information we have and
are continuing to gather to detemrine its worthiness," Mr. Lechvar said.
The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection said that
between 15,000 and 22,000 dead fish, representing 16 different species,
were counted on the creek in September. In addition, 14 species of
fresh-water mussels were wiped out, including several threatened and
rare species, according to the West Virginia DEP.
Tonight's meeting was called jointly by Greene County Conservation
District and the Upper Mon River Association.
Don Hopey can be reached at dhopey@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1983.