Oily spill closes popular beach at New York's Lake George; substance appears near boat launch

LAKE GEORGE, N.Y. – A popular beach at New York's Lake George is closed after an oily substance was spilled into the water.

The Post-Star of Glens Falls (http://bit.ly/1MSyxJl ) reports that the Department of Health ordered the state-run Million Dollar Beach swimming area closed Thursday afteroon after an oily sheen appeared offshore near the newly opened boat launch.

The origin of the substance isn't known but officials say it was consistent with a hydraulic fluid.

Crews placed absorbent booms along the shore near the boat launch, which opened on the southern end of the Adirondack lake earlier this year.

The beach and adjacent boat launch are run by the Department of Environmental Conservation. Staff from DEC, the Lake George Park Commission and health department of Health were on the scene Thursday.

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Information from: The Post-Star, http://www.poststar.com