See NRC Report #910045 for initial report.
On June 28, 2009, a report of oil on an un-named creek was discovered by a security guard who was conducting his daily site inspections. The surrounding area is commercial and industrial. The un-named creek is a tributary to the Scioto River. The local Fire Department and OEPA responded to the incident to investigate. Approximately 1.5 miles downstream of the creek had been impacted. The Fire Department (FD) constructed a small siphon dam in an attempt to contain the fuel/oil. OEPA found the leading edge of the plume and deployed containment boom in an effort to minimize impact. The exact quantity of fuel/oil released is unknown. OEPA requested U.S. EPA assistance for recovery and clean up.
The OEPA and FD tracked the oil back to the Norfolk Southern – Buckeye yard located in Columbus, Ohio. The cause of the spill is still under investigation, although it is believed to be related to a pump failure within their oil water separator. The rail yard where the oil water separator is located is not in operation. Once Norfolk Southern was made aware of the situation, a local clean up contractor was mobilized to the site. U.S. EPA issued a Notice of Federal Interest to Noforlk Southern.
At U.S.EPA/OEPA's direction, the local clean up contractor installed containment booms and set up vacuum truck operations in five areas along the unnamed creek. By the mid-day of June 29th, major oil recovery operations had been completed. Contractor crews continued to remove residual oil from the five operation areas along the creekbed through June 29th.
Containment boom has been deployed throughout the creek system to prevent the fuel/oil mixture from migrating further downstream. Vacuum trucks have been staged in five areas along the creek to skim the fuel/oil mixture from its surface. The slow flow of the creek assisted in maintaining the fuel/oil mixture within the contaiment boom system. By mid-morning vacuum truck operations had recovered the majority of the fuel/oil mixture.
U.S. EPA/OEPA worked with Norfolk Southern and their contractor and developed a plan to divide remedial activities into two main areas - (1) The Norfolk Southern property and (2) Off-Site areas.
On the Norfolk Southern property a siphon dam was installed along the rail yard's eastern boundary to prevent the further release of oil off site. Containment and absorbent boom were continually monitored. As oil accumulated it was skimmed from the surface.
For the Off-site areas - The local clean up contractor walked the creekbed to remove debris and/or vegetation that has entrained the residual fuel/oil mixture. This will allow the residual fuel/oil mixture to flow to the collection boom areas where vacuum trucks will remove the mixture for offsite disposal.
Approximately 16,000 gallons of fuel/oil and water was vacuumed from the creek. The contaminated water is being stored in Frac-Tanks on site.
Planned remedial actions on the Norfolk Southern property will include an assessment of the oil/water separator by a Norfolk Southern engineer. The purpose of the assessment is to determine the circumstances that lead to the initial release and to insure that additional releases will not occur. The creekbed located on the Norfolk Southern property is heavily vegetated, which has entrained residual fuel/oil mixture. U.S. EPA/OEPA have directed the local clean up contractor to remove this vegetation, allowing the fuel/oil mixture to migrate to an onsite containment boom area where it will be removed with a vacuum truck. Finally, the local clean up contractor will continue to monitor the siphon dam and remove any residual fuel/oil which is collected behind the dam, as necessary.
Off-Site Areas - The area will be re-assessed tomorrow. Additional debris removal will be managed, as needed. Absorbent boom will continue to be monitored at the Norfork Southern property and at the off site locations.
Disposal/Recycle of the oil and water will be coordinated by Norfolk Southern.
Some small wildlife (stream critters and small fish) have been impacted or killed during this release. ODNR was notified and began their assessment.
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