RED WING, Minn. — A barge spilled 3,000 gallons of crude corn oil, perhaps 3,500, into the Mississippi River while being loaded from ADM storage tanks on the Red Wing riverfront. Emergency responders quickly laid booms to corral the yellow-orange oil floating on the river surface. The spill was about 12:10 p.m. Authorities said there was no direct danger to public safety, even though there are environmental dangers. How the accident occurred wasn’t known immediately. The barge was moored at docks in the giant ADM complex of elevators and tanks just upstream from the State Highway 63 bridge and He Mni Can-Ban landmark monolith. ADM’s on-site staff placed a containment boom around the barge to prevent corn oil from drifting downstream.  Fire crews placed additional booms downstream. Goodhue County sheriff’s officers took over river traffic control. As required by law, the duty officer at the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency in St. Paul was notified. The crisis response company QT Environmental was called to take over mitigation.

ADM’s Red Wing complex. Corn oil is shipped from Red Wing to downriver destinations and to Gulf ports or international destinations.

Riverside transfer docks. The ADM elevators and tanks are just upstream from the State Highway 63 bridge and He Mni Can-Ban landmark monolith.BOX

Environmental hazard

Although biodegradable, large spills of corn oil can disrupt ecosystems. On water surfaces, corn oil reduces oxygen exchange for aquatic life. Soil contamination can affect plant growth and soil health. Wildlife can go into health crises if they ingest or become coated in oil.

ADM profile

Archer-Daniels-Midland is a multinational food processor based in Chicago. ADM has been ranked second on the Top 50 global sweetener companies by the trade journal FoodTalks. Its plants mill both dry and wet corn into sweeteners, starches, syrups and also dextrose for feedstocks and bioproducts.

QTE profile

QT Environmental, based in Watertown, Minnesota, 60 miles from Red Wing, provides crisis response services globally. These include oil and other contaminating spills. The company also offers engineering counsel for sound environmental practices and regulatory compliance.

NOTE: This article has been updated to identify the crisis response contractor correctly.