On Thursday, April 29 at approximately 8:00 pm, diesel fuel was released from a 300-gallon capacity day tank owned and operated by Long Painting of Kent, Washington. The cause of the release is unknown but believed to be a faulty switch controlling the fuel pump associated with the tank. The total amount of diesel released is thought to be approximately 250 gallons.
The release occurred at Dash Point State Park in Federal Way, Washington. Long Paint had been given permission by Washington State Parks to set up office trailers and an equipment staging area in the Park because Long was under contract to Washington State Department of Transportation to paint a nearby bridge.
The release reportedly occurred within a 45 minute window, from 7:45 pm to 8:30 pm. Long personnel who were on the bridge working were dispatched to the scene and deployed two on-site spill kits. Long subcontracted an environmental cleanup company, NRC Environmental Services, which was on scene within approximately 2 hours. Besides Long Painting and NRCES, personnel from Washington Department of Transportation, Washington State Parks, South King County Fire, Federal Way Police, and Washington State Department of Ecology responded to the scene. The United States Coast Guard was on scene as the FOSC and an EPA OSC also was on scene to provide technical assistance.
The released diesel flowed over an asphalt parking area approximately 100 feet into a small creek. The creek flows approximately 200 yards to Puget Sound. A fuel sheen was observed on Puget Sound within a couple hours of the release. Responders used absorbent pads and loose absorbent material to contain the spill. Absorbent boom was placed along the banks and across the creek at several locations. A vacuum truck was used to remove saturated absorbent materials and free phase diesel fuel where accumulations had occurred. The asphalt parking area was pressure washed. Accumulations of diesel in the soil creek banks could not be excavated until archeological services could be obtained because the spill site is a culturally sensitive area to a local Native American Tribe. At approximately 3:45 am, responders assumed a program of monitoring the creek and Puget Sound until archeological services were procured. Washington Department of Ecology, USCG, and EPA personnel demobilized until daylight.
