Sunday night, 2/8/2015, Region 10 was notified of a spill of 20,000 gallons of asphalt that was released from a 4” pipeline at the Fields Company asphalt facility near the Port of Tacoma, Tacoma WA. Approximately 10,000 gallons of the 20,000 gallons of asphalt entered a ditch which connects to the Blair Waterway and Puget Sound.
EPA OSC Angie Zavala was mobilized on February 9, 2015 to evaluate the discharge or threat of discharge of petroleum to navigable waters of the U.S., and coordinate with the responsible party, and Washington Dept. of Ecology. The asphalt travelled approximately 600 feet in the ditch from the facility toward the Blair Waterway. It was contained about 800 feet from the Blair Waterway. Boom and sorbent were put in place by the RP’s contractor to prevent any sheen coming off of the asphalt from migrating further down the ditch.
Wildlife was impacted by this incident. Two ducks landed in the asphalt and got stuck. They were recovered but thought unlikely to survive. Under direction of OSC Zavala and in coordination with the WA Fish and Game, a contractor was hired by the RP to conduct hazing in order to keep further wildlife from being contaminated by the sticky asphalt. OSC Zavala determined that the release was secure and demobilized Monday evening.
