On June 22, 2005 an oil spill was discovered in a tributary to the Placerita Creek in Santa Clarita, CA. The spill was traced by Los Angeles County Fire to the Petro-Resouces, Inc. (PRI) USL Lease crude oil production field. The release was caused by a landslide that damaged a pipeline from a oil storage tank. The landslide is believed to have resulted as a result of recent siesmic activity in Southern California.
Approximately 1000 gallons of heavy crude (asphalt-like) and an unknown amount of produce water was released. The crude migrated from the break into creek bed at the bottom of a ravine. The ravine is in a coastal sage scrub habitat (Zone 1). According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), this habitat may be the home to the Coastal California Gnatcatcher, a Federally Threatened Species pursuant to the Endangered Species Act. The oil followed the creek bed into a 48" diameter subterranean storm drain (Zone 2). The storm drain passes beneath a residential subdivision. The oil continued to migrate through the storm drain through an outfall into a creek bed in a riparian habitat that is a tributary to Placerita Creek (Zone 3). The oil migrated down the creek bed, but did not enter the Placerita Creek. Placerita Creek drains into the Santa Clara River. The Santa Clara River is the home to several Federally Listed endangered species.
The lease/land owner PRI has retained a cleanup contractor and is currently conducting removal operations.
An FOSC and START responded to the spill. A unified command was set up with the California Department of Fish and Game to manage the incident.
PRI's contractor is currently removing oil, contaminated soil/debris in Zone 3, to prevent any impact to Placerita Creek. The removal operations consist of hand removal of contaminated material to minimize impacts to the habitat.
PRI's contractor also contained the runoff from the storm drain in the outfall box and is collecting it. The runoff will be stored on the lease property in a 20,000 portable tank until disposal can be arranged.
PRI's contractor began assessment of the storm drain. A permit required confined space entery was required to conduct this assessment.
On June 22, 2005, the FOSC issued a Notice of Federal Interest to PRI. The FOSC requested an emergency consult from USFWS on damage to the habitat is removal activities were to incorporate the use of heavy equipment.
1. Removal of all petroleum and contaminated media.
2. Restoration of any impacted habitat.
3. Mitigation of the source of the spill. \
1. Cleanup of Zone 1 and 2.
1. PRI is currenly in violation of a Bureau of Land Mangement Order to remove all equipment from the lease and to mitigate any environmental issues.
2. Action level for soil cleanup in the creek beds.
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