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===2017 oil spill===
On May 7, 2017, the catastrophic failure of [[Consolidated Edison|Con Edison]]'s Farragut Substation at 89 John Street in [[Dumbo, Brooklyn]], caused a spill of [[Liquid dielectric|dielectric fluid]] – an insoluble synthetic mineral oil, considered non-toxic by New York state, used to cool electrical equipment and prevent electrical discharges – into the East River from a {{convert|37,000|gal|0|adj=on}} tank. The [[United States Coast Guard|National Response Center]] received a report of the spill at 1:30pm that day, although the public did not learn of the spill for two days, and then only from [[Twitter|tweets]] from [[NYC Ferry]]. A "safety zone" was established, extending from a line drawn between Dupont Street in [[Greenpoint, Brooklyn]], to [[List of numbered streets in Manhattan|East 25th Street]] in [[Kips Bay, Manhattan]], south to [[Buttermilk Channel]]. Recreational and human-powered vehicles such as [[kayak]]s and [[Paddleboarding|paddleboards]] were banned from the zone while the oil was being cleaned up, and the speed of commercial vehicles restricted so as not to spread the oil in their wakes, causing delays in NYC Ferry service. The clean-up efforts were being undertaken by Con Edison personnel and private environmental contractors, the [[United States Coast Guard|U.S. Coast Guard]], and the [[New York State Department of Environmental Conservation]], with the assistance of [[NYC Emergency Management]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Del Signore
The loss of the sub-station caused a voltage dip in the power provided by Con Ed to the [[Metropolitan Transportation Authority]]'s [[New York City Subway]] system, which disrupted [[Signaling of the New York City Subway|its signals]].<ref>{{cite news |author=Staff
The Coast Guard estimated that {{convert|5,200|gal|0}} of oil spilled into the water, with the remainder soaking into the soil at the substation. In the past the Coast Guard has on average been able to recover about 10% of oil spilled, however the complex tides in the river make the recovery much more difficult, with the turbulent water caused by the river's change of tides pushing contaminated water over the containment booms, where it is then carried out to sea and cannot be recovered. By Friday May 12, officials from Con Edison reported that almost {{convert|600|gal|0}} had been taken out of the water.<ref name=amny /><ref name=dna /><ref name=ny1 />
Environmental damage to wildlife is expected to be less than if the spill was of petroleum-based oil, but the oil can still block the sunlight necessary for the river's fish and other organisms to live. Nesting birds are also in possible danger from the oil contaminating their nests and potentially poisoning the birds or their eggs. Water from the East River was reported to have tested positive for low levels of [[Polychlorinated biphenyl|PCB]], a known [[carcinogen]].<ref name="amny">{{cite news |last=Brown
Putting the spill into perspective, John Lipscomb, the vice president of advocacy for [[Riverkeeper]]s said that the chronic release after heavy rains of overflow from city's wastewater treatment system was "a bigger problem for the harbor than this accident."<ref name=fox /> The state Department of Environmental Conservation is investigating the spill.<ref name=ny1 /> It was later reported that according to DEC data which dates back to 1978, the substation involved had spilled 179 times previously, more than any other Con Ed facility. The spills have included 8,400 gallons of dielectric oil, [[Hydraulic fluid|hydraulic oil]], and [[antifreeze]] which leaked at various times into the soil around the substation, the sewers, and the East River.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hogan
On June 22, Con Edison used non-toxic green dye and divers in the river to find the source of the leak. As a result, a {{convert|4|in|cm|adj=on}} hole was plugged. The utility continued to believe that the bulk of the spill went into the ground around the substation, and excavated and removed several hundred cubic yards of soil from the area. They estimated that about {{convert|5,200|gal|0}} went into the river, of which {{convert|520|gal|0}} were recovered. Con Edison said that it installed a new transformer, and intended to add new barrier around the facility to help guard against future spills propagating into the river.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hogan
{{anchor|Crossings}}
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