U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
Lenoir Diesel Spill - Removal Polrep
Final Removal Polrep

EPA Emergency Response

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region IV
Subject: POLREP #2
Final POLREP
Lenoir Diesel Spill

Lenoir, NC
Latitude: 35.8997500 Longitude: -81.5538206

To:
From: Jordan Garrard, On Scene Coordinator
Date: 2/10/2012
Reporting Period:

1. Introduction
  1.1 Background
   
Site Number: Z4UW    Contract Number:  
D.O. Number:      Action Memo Date:  
Response Authority: OPA    Response Type: Emergency
Response Lead: PRP    Incident Category: Removal Action
NPL Status: Non NPL    Operable Unit:
Mobilization Date: 2/6/2012    Start Date: 2/6/2012
Demob Date:      Completion Date:  
CERCLIS ID:    RCRIS ID:
ERNS No.: NRC 1002247    State Notification:
FPN#: E12409    Reimbursable Account #:

1.1.1 Incident Category
Emergency

1.1.2 Site Description
On 2/6/2012, Caldwell County EMA discovered diesel fuel in Lower Creek (a tributary of the Catawba River) in Lenoir, NC. Approximately 1.5 miles of creek had been impacted and the local FD began responding by booming several points along the waterway. Caldwell EMA determined that the spill originally occurred on Saturday (2/4/2012) from a demolition site, and had to compel the RP (Applied Abatement Demolition & Trucking) to hire a response contractor. The original discharge quantity was estimated at 1500 gallons and product was breaking through the only available sorbent boom.

1.1.2.1 Location
419 Virginia Street, Lenoir, Caldwell County, North Carolina

1.1.2.2 Description of Threat
Diesel fuel has discharged to Lower Creek which is a tributary of the Catawba River. Sheen and product have been observed, boom, and recovered on Lower Creek.  The Catawba River has several drinking water intakes and NCDENR has notified those facilities.

1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results
EPA dispatched R1 OSC Garrard to assist local responders and oversee activities. Upon arrival, OSC Garrard discovered that the ruptured diesel tank was 500 gallons, vac trucks are being utilized to collect recovered diesel fuel, and hard river boom had been deployed into Lower Creek. Response contractor, STAT, remained through the night to conduct recovery operations. Activities on 2/7/2012 will include installation of additional river boom and investigation of an oil seep on the bank of an unnamed tributary.  
2. Current Activities
  2.1 Operations Section
    2.1.1 Narrative
An approximately 500 gallon diesel tank was rupture and discharged into an unnamed tributary of Lower Creek which flows into the Catawba River.   The unnamed creek is culverted downstream of the spill site.  The culvert travels approximately 2,150 feet into Lower Creek.  There are collection points at the spill site and the intersection of unnamed tributary and Lower Creek.  Vac trucks are being utilized to collect recovered diesel at the collection points.  Hard river boom is deployed at intersection of Lower Creek and Virginia Street.  Absorbent boom is deployed at the intersection of Lower Creek and Complex Street.  The RP has contracted with STAT, Inc to conduct cleanup activities.  Response Contractors are remaining onsite throughout the night to conduct recovery operations.

Activities on 2/7/12

Approximately 25,000 gallons of water was used to flush remaining product from the culverts. A second underflow dam was construction down stream of the first section of culvert pipe. A product recovery station was setup at that underflow dam. Approximately 3,000 gallons of oil/water mixture has been collected. High volume / low pressure water flushing along the banks was conducted.

Activities on 2/8/12 

High volume / low pressure bank flushing continued on the remaining portions of the tributary.  Vac trucks continued to recover product during flushing operations.  Approximately 6,000 gallons of oil/water mixture was collected.  After completion of the flushing activities, the underflow dams were removed along with the downstream containment booms on Lower Creek.  Caldwell County EMA, STAT, Inc., and OSC Garrard agreed upon a long-term maintenance program to address the sheen caused by slowly weeping oil from the bank which contains multiple absrobent boom deployment locations.  Caldwell County will provide oversight as appropriate.

2.1.2 Response Actions to Date
(see 2.1.1 above)

2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)
The responsible party, Applied Abatement Demolition & Trucking, has hired response contractor, STAT, to address the discharge.

2.1.4 Progress Metrics
N/A
  2.2 Planning Section
    2.2.1 Anticipated Activities
Activities to be conducted on 2/7/2012 will include installation of hard river boom at Complex Street, flushing of the culvert, and investigation of oil seep on the bank of the unnamed tributary.

2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities
(see 2.2.1 above)

2.2.1.2 Next Steps
N/A

2.2.2 Issues
N/A
  2.3 Logistics Section
    N/A
  2.4 Finance Section
    No information available at this time.
  2.5 Other Command Staff
    2.5.1 Safety Officer
N/A

2.5.2 Liaison Officer
N/A

2.5.3 Information Officer
N/A
3. Participating Entities
  3.1 Unified Command
N/A

3.2 Cooperating Agencies
EPA
Caldwell County EMA
NCDENR
4. Personnel On Site
  Applied Abatement Demolition & Trucking
STAT
Caldwell County EMA
NCDENR
EPA
5. Definition of Terms
  N/A
6. Additional sources of information
  6.1 Internet location of additional information/report
N/A

6.2 Reporting Schedule
N/A
7. Situational Reference Materials
  N/A