On June 20,2009 Approximately 17 denatured ethanol tank cars were involved in a derailment and many were involved in the subsequent fire. At this time, it is estimated that 60k gallons of ethanol was released to an unknown creek, Rock,and Kishwaukee river. The local Rockford Fire, Hazmat team and Winnebego County Emergency Government set up an incident command post and made a tactical decision to allow the fire to burn and the alcohol to be consumed in the fire. The area received 3 inches of rain which caused a wash out of the rail tracks. One fatality was reported and six people went to the hospital with burns. The evacuation has been lifted to a voluntary evacuation and 100% of the residents have returned home. CN rail has hired CTEH to conduct air monitoring, Hulcher to re-rail the train cars and SCS to transfer the remaining liquid. CN rail has also hired ES Enviro Science to perform river assessments on both the Rock and Kishwaukee river. An un-named stream is located on the south side of the crossing and flows to the east. The stream crosses under the tracks approximately 1,800 feet east of the derailment and then flows on the north side of the tracks in a southeasterly direction for approximately 1.5 miles until it reaches the Rock and Kishwaukee River.
There has been a substantial fish kill in the Rock River where hundreds have been reported. CN rail will depoly assests to collect water samples on both rivers with a 24 hour turnaround.
Representatives from IEPA, US Fish and Wildlife, US EPA, CN, CTEH, the conservation police, and local representatives of the Public Health Department were in attendance to discuss the community outreach and sampling events planned and/or conducted for the site.
Events already conducted:
-24-Hour air monitoring conducted since the incident by CTEH. No samples had levels detected above action levels. The highest reading for VOC’s was 18.5 ppm. There were also no issues with the particulate matter.
-A survey of water intakes along the river was conducted by CTEH. No surface water intakes were observed along the river.
-23 samples from the two rivers were taken and analyzed for BTEX, GRO and TPH, sample results are due in by 6/25/09. One sample was collected 60 miles downstream at the bottom of the river and analyzed for the full suite of analytes.
-The Dissolved Oxygen (DO) was measured in the rivers at ~7-8, while in the ditch it was ~4.5.
-The river is currently closed in three counties by the DNR.
-US Fish and Wildlife has fish that were collected earlier and will be sampled. The conservation police also have some fish that were collected and frozen, which they will allow to be sampled.
-Silt fencing is present on the site, and the runoff water is sequestered. Also an air-sparge system is in place at the site
EPA-
-Agrees that the private wells will be sampled and an outreach program including a fact sheet and representatives from the US EPA,IEPA as well as CN will canvas the neighborhoods within 1 mile radius of the site.
On June 24, 2009, WESTON START, EnviroScience, and CTEH mobilized to the Rock River to conduct additional water sampling activities. The first set of samples were collected around the Castle Rock State Park just south of Oregon, IL. Four stations with two samples collected at each station were identified in this area of the river (6R, 6L, 7R, 7L, 8R, 8L, 9R, and 9L). WESTON START collected split samples at sample locations 6R and 8L. The samples were submitted for TPH, GRO, and BTEX analysis. DO readings in this area of the river ranged from 8.35-8.65. There were no visible dead fish floating in the river and no noticeable odor. The stations were set approximately ½-mile apart. The second set of samples were collected around the 5th Street Bridge in Erie, IL. Four stations with two samples collected at each station were identified in this area of the river (10R, 10L, 11R, 11L, 12R, 12L, 13R, and 13L). WESTON START collected split samples at sample locations 10R and 12L. The samples were submitted for TPH, GRO, and BTEX analysis. DO readings in this area of the river ranged from 8.05-8.68. There were visible dead fish floating in the river and a noticeable odor. The stations were set approximately ½-mile apart.
In addition to the river sampling, WESTON START and CTEH conducted residential and non-residential soil sampling along the banks of the un-named creek. Samples were collected in the distressed vegetative areas along the banks of the creek. Samples were taken along the extent of the creek from the site to the confluence with the Kishwaukee River.
-A total of six soil samples were collected by CTEH
-Two split samples were collected by WESTON START, one at a residential property and one in
the park.
Residential private wells were also sampled by WESTON START, CTEH and with the assistance of the Public Health Department. The wells were located in the neighborhood immediately north of the site, along Hillsbrough and Whitecliff roads. A lone residence northeast of the site, on the stretch of South Mulford Road that runs parallel to the tracks, was also sampled. In addition, two residents called in requesting their wells be sampled. They were located further down stream along the creek, at Brook Dale Road and Clover Leaf Lane.
-A total of seven private wells were sampled by CTEH.
-A total of six private wells were sampled by WESTON START.
Plans:
-Soil sampling will be conducted around the site
-Private wells will be sampled
-Affected vegetation around the creek/ditch will be restored
-Daily conference calls will be implemented between all agencies and sampling teams to assess status.
Additional site activities included:
-NTSB gave the OK for the train cars to be cut and removed from site.
-Ongoing soil sampling at the site will be conducted by Arcadis.
-555 cubic yards of soil has been removed from site and is being transported to Veolia Orchard
Hills, Rockford IL.
-A retention pond was found upstream (west) of the site, and apparently experienced collapse during the heavy rains. NTSB is investigating this as a potential cause for the derailment.
-The surface water pit adjacent south of the rail-car staging area at the site has been undergoing oxygenation and the Dissolved Oxygen (DO) was found to be ~7-8.
CN will prepare a removal action plan for the impacted soil on the unnamed creek.
U.S.EPA will provide ongoing site oversight for sampling events on both rivers Rock & Kishwaukee and the un-named creek.
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