Agency grants $30K for mercury study in Gills Creek fish

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The federal government has granted $30,000 to study the presence of mercury in fish that inhabit lower Gills Creek.

The State of Columbia reports (http://bit.ly/1kJPMD0) the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s grant was announced Wednesday.

In a statement, agency officials say the grant will be used by the Gills Creek Watershed Association to examine the existence of mercury in fish and “communicate those findings” to people living in communities at the lower end of Gills Creek.

Watershed association director Erich Miarka says other parts of the watershed have had mercury sampling done, but little research has occurred on the lower end.

Miarka says the study will be done in conjunction with the University of South Carolina-Aiken and should start in the next several months.

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Information from: The State, http://www.thestate.com