U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
Sunoco Pipeline Woodville - Removal Polrep

EPA Emergency Response

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region VI
Subject: POLREP #5
Interim POLREP
Sunoco Pipeline Woodville

Woodville, TX
Latitude: 30.9318800 Longitude: -94.5312200

To:
From: Mike McAteer, OSC
Date: 3/7/2013
Reporting Period: 3/5/2013 - 3/6/2013

1. Introduction
  1.1 Background
   
Site Number: FPN E13609    Contract Number:  
D.O. Number:      Action Memo Date:  
Response Authority: OPA    Response Type: Emergency
Response Lead: PRP    Incident Category:
NPL Status: Non NPL    Operable Unit:
Mobilization Date: 2/24/2013    Start Date: 2/24/2013
Demob Date:      Completion Date:  
CERCLIS ID:    RCRIS ID:
ERNS No.:    State Notification:
FPN#: E13609    Reimbursable Account #:

On February 24th, the NRC contacted the USEPA and informed them of an oil spill near Woodville, TX. OSC Mike McAteer was dispatched to the scene to determine the size and scope of the incident. NRC Report# 1039285 stated that the incident was discovered in Otter Creek on February 23rd at 1648 local incident time. Pipeline operator Sunoco had established a cleanup contractor the evening that the spill was discovered to begin using boom and vacuum trucks for containment and recovery. Most recent estimates from Sunoco state that 550 bbl were released.
2. Current Activities
  2.1 Operations Section
   

March 5th-6th, Sunoco contractors continued to remove crude oil from the affected drainage ditch, Otter Creek, and Russell Creek (Divisions 1 through 4). Cleanup methods employed by contractors include utilizing sorbent pads, booms, and snares to remove oil, and flushing of Otter Creek utilizing water from Russell Creek (upstream of Otter Creek confluence). Water is currently being introduced into Otter Creek through a landowner providing access to drain a pond on his property directly into a tributary of the creek. Proper permitting from TCEQ has been obtained for surface water extraction and draining of the pond. Oiled sorbent pads, booms, snares, and debris are removed, placed in drum liners, put in roll-offs and secured for disposal. Total crude oil removed from the affected areas through March 6th is 105 bbls, and approximately 30 roll-offs filled with oiled debris bags. Of the 30 roll-off boxes of bagged debris, 29 have been removed from the site and sent for disposal.

Sunoco has constructed the third of the three proposed dams on Otter Creek. These are constructed of hay bales to help prevent the movement of any oil or oiled debris out into Russell Creek during any future storm events.  Current weather forecasts indicate that dry weather is expected during the remainder of this week, but rain chances begin to increase late in the weekend. After visual inspection of these vegetation berms, they have begun to filter out oil that attempts to get past them, and have allowed the creek water to continue downstream.

Sunoco states that Divisions 1 and 2 are being maintained with crews for a daily inspection for leached oil that has pooled in certain locations. Crews are still operating in Divisions 3a and 3b to remove small vegetative debris that has been impacted and gathered in areas along the creek.

A meeting involving Natural Resource Damage Assessment trustees (NRDA) TCEQ, TGLO, TPWD, TRRC, along with Sunoco, EPA, U.S. Forest Service, Conestoga Rovers and Associates (CRA), and Cardno Entrix to discuss wildlife and environmental impacts of the oil in the creek. NRDA trustees indicated that impacts to Otter creek appeared to be minimal. Thermal remediation of the creek banks was proposed for those areas showing heavy staining of vegetation. After a demonstration of the proposed burning procedure, it was agreed by all parties that thermal remediation is not practical along the banks of the impacted area due mostly to the risk of the fire getting out of control and also leaving the banks unvegetated and vulnerable to rapid erosion. After further discussions with all participants, it was determined that flushing the banks with water pumping operations would be the best method going forward.
  2.2 Planning Section
   

2.2.1 Anticipated Activities
Continue to observe creek conditions and progress of cleanup activities.

2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities
Sunoco will continue cleanup operations in all divisions of the affected area.  OSRO contractor staffing will be decreased to 101 employees involved in field cleanup activities.

2.2.1.2 Next Steps
Continue to address areas where free oil is leaching from debris and soil areas in divisions 1 and 2, replacing absorbent pads and boom as necessary. Operations will continue for debris removal and flushing of creek banks in all divisions where heavy oil staining has occurred and continue to monitor division 4 to ensure that no product is traveling further downstream into Russell Creek.
  2.3 Logistics Section
    No information available at this time.
  2.4 Finance Section
    No information available at this time.
  2.5 Other Command Staff
    No information available at this time.
3. Participating Entities
  3.1 Unified Command

Sunoco has decided that the emergency response stage of the cleanup is now complete and are therefore taking down their IMT as of March 7.  

3.2 Cooperating Agencies

U.S. EPA

Natural Resource Damage Assessment Trustees (NRDA)
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ)
Texas Rail Road Commission (TRRC)
Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPWD)
Texas General Land Office (TGLO)
U.S. Forest Service

Tyler County Emergency Management (TCEM)
4. Personnel On Site
  2 - START-3 Contractors for documentation and oversight of RP and cleanup progress

101 - Sunoco OSRO Contractors for field cleanup and recovery efforts
5. Definition of Terms
  No information available at this time.
6. Additional sources of information
  No information available at this time.
7. Situational Reference Materials
  No information available at this time.