Roughly 75 gallons of heating oil spilled into the Kenduskeag Stream in downtown Bangor on Monday morning, according to a Maine Department of Environmental Protection employee.
Oil slicks were visible on the stream and the smell of the spilled oil was noticeable Monday as crews worked to clean the spill.
An oil company was delivering fuel to a building between Franklin and Central streets around 5 a.m., Monday, said Bob Shannon, Maine DEP oil and hazardous materials responder.
The truck driver hit a concrete abutment and damaged the oil release, causing the oil to spill into the Kenduskeag Stream along the Norumbega Parkway, Shannon said.
It’s not an “insignificant” spill because a small amount of oil can affect a large amount of water, and oil spills have cumulative effects on the environment, said Dwayne Shaw, executive director of the Downeast Salmon Federation.
Oil spills through faulty tanks or broken pipes are something the organization sees a lot, Shaw said.
Oil spills are toxic to wildlife and can have lasting effects on the environment. A total of 444 oil, gasoline or diesel spills have been reported to the Maine DEP in 2025, according to its online tracker. Those include mostly spills of less than 5 gallons, as well as spills with more than 100 gallons. That includes a tank of kerosene that leaked in January, spilling 200 gallons in Morrill, according to the site.
A boom was deployed in the stream near the Washington Street bridge to prevent the oil from flowing into the Penobscot River. A Bangor Daily News reporter observed oil on the opposite side of the boom, along the Penobscot River.
The tide was going out on the Kenduskeag during clean up efforts Monday. Cleaning up tidal water can be more difficult because the oil moves with the tide, instead of staying stagnant, Shaw said.
Clean Harbors, a company that responds to environmental emergencies, is cleaning up the oil, Shannon said.
Clean Harbors is fantastic at being prepared for emergencies like this, Shaw said.
The oil company that caused the spill is cooperating with the DEP, Shannon said.
Any employees who work in businesses near the Kenduskeag in downtown Bangor who notice fumes or vapor issues indoors should call the DEP, Shannon said.
BDN writer Kasey Turman contributed to this report.