The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), and the Responsible Party (RP), a trucking firm called Tompkins and Weeks, are coordinating the cleanup efforts of oil spilled Sunday, June 22, 2003 on the eastbound lanes of Highway 42 at milepost 1.2.
Approximately 2900 gallons of waste oil were released when a tanker truck lost control of the secondary trailer on a curve on Hwy 42. The majority of the release was contained in a median strip culvert between the west- and east-bound lanes. Small amounts of oil were sprayed onto vegetation and the road shoulder that sloped to nearby Wall Creek. Sheening was observed in the creek and was contained with absorbent boom and pads. Contaminated vegetation will be removed and contaminated topsoil will be excavated during mitigation efforts. Hard boom will be used to contain any possible release via Wall Creek through a culvert to Isthmus Slough.
