On Sunday, June 22, 2003 at approximately 1800 hours a tanker truck lost control of it's secondary trailer on the eastbound lanes of Highway 42 at milepost 1.2, south of Coos Bay, Oregon.
Approximately 2900 gallons of waste oil were released from the trailer on a curve on Hwy 42. Early reports indicated that the majority of the release occurred on the roadway with pooling of waste oil in the median strip. Vegetation and topsoil adjacent to a tidally-influenced creek, connected to Isthmus Slough, were also impacted by oil spray and was thought to be causing sheen in the creek. Absorbent booms and pads had been deployed by a response contractor. Oregon Department of Transportation personnel spread sand on roadway to absorb oil and increase traction and followed with road brushing to remove the bulk of oil.
Initial responders included a State On-Scene Coordinator (SOSC) from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), a representative of the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), a representative of the Responsible Party (RP)(Tompkins and Weeks, Inc.), and the RP's response contractor.
Monday, June 22, 2003
The tanker truck rollover and waste oil release was reported to the National Response Center at 1026 hours PST with EPA Region 10 subsequently being notified at 1033 hours PST. EPA dispatched an OSC from Seattle and a START and a USCG Pacific Strike Team (PST) member from Portland to the incident.
EPA OSC (1), START (1), USCG PST (1) members on site. START and PST arrived on site at 1800 from Portland, OR for initial recon of site. EPA OSC arrived on site at 1830 from Seattle, WA. The SOSC, the RP, and a representative from Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) arrived on site and briefed the EPA response team. The RP's response contractor had removed heavily-oiled vegetation in the area adjacent and above Wall Creek and placed hay bales and plastic sheeting over the pooled oil contained in the median strip culvert. Other activities included deploying absorbent boom and pads in Wall Creek (3 sets of boom and pads) and surrounding the creek outfall in Isthumus Slough. Interception boom and pads had also been placed in the ditch leading from the median strip to a grated storm drain thought to lead to the creek culvert beneath the road bed. Soil and pads were placed over the storm drain. The RP had demobed the response contractor and contracted with Foss Environmental to initiate the next phase of the cleanup.
Initial recon by the EPA team included walk through of site, survey was limited due to traffic on Hwy 42. The recon found the West side of Hwy 42 to be the area of concern due to oil-stained vegetation and topsoil potentially migrating into Wall Creek. Tidal water from Isthmus Slough was rapidly entering Wall Creek via the culvert and significant sheening was noted. The START and USCG-PST deployed additional absorbent booms in the creek and conducted a survey but were unable to ascertain the source of oil other than contaminated soil and vegetation. The three sets of boom and pads appeared to be capturing most of the sheen in the creek. No recoverable waste oil was observed. The EPA OSC expressed concern about the location of the source of sheen and potential ongoing releases during the evening hours.
Foss arrived on site at approximately 2030 and deployed containment boom around Wall Creek's outlet into Isthmus Slough in an effort to address EPA's concern about potential significant releases overnight. Site work was stopped at 2130 due to dimishing light.
Tuesday, June 23, 2003
EPA OSC, START, PST arrived on site at 0730. Tailgate safety meeting was held with EPA, START, PST, FOSS, DEQ, ODFW and a representative from the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). A Unified Command was established with RP/FOSS, DEQ, USCG-PST, EPA, and ODOT representation.
Activities completed today included:
1. Oil/soil samples collected by FOSS for waste profile and disposal options. Splits collected by START at EPA/DEQ request.
2. START/PST collected 3 water samples at EPA/DEQ request. One of sheen in water in Wall Creek near culvert during incoming tide. Second sample of creek water in marsh at headwaters upgradient of spill location during outgoing tide. Third sample collected in Isthmus Slough upgradient of Wall Creek outfall during outgoing tide.
3. START collected a soil sample approximately 1 foot bgs on the road shoulder upgradient of spill site. All EPA/START collected samples to be held pending disposal/profile sample results.
4. Foss contracted with traffic control contractor and closed eastbound traffic in outside lane adjacent to creek culvert.
5. Utilizing a trackhoe and two dump trucks, Foss personnel scraped one to two feet of oil-sprayed topsoil and vegetation from road shoulder and bank above Wall Creek culvert and associated marsh.
6. Contaminated soil and debris hauled to temporary staging location at ODOT facility for eventual disposal pending analytical results.
7. Foss collected 8 confirmation soil samples in excavation area.
8. Foss dispatched confirmation soil and product/soil samples via courier to analytical lab for quick turnaround analyses.
9. Several loads of gravel brought in at ODOT request to rebuild road shoulder and reduce safety concerns from traffic when lane reopened during evening.
10. At ODFW request, a narrow strip of vegetation was left just above the creek culvert to control erosion from slope. Oil-stained vegetation was removed but roots left intact.
11. Foss replaced boom, pads, and absorbent sheeting in Wall Creek.
12. START, PST, DEQ, and ODFW conducted several reconnaissance efforts via private road of marsh/creek shoreline to assess potential impact of release. No recoverable product noted although several small sheen locations were observed. Unable to determine if sheen result of spill or attributed to natural conditions of marsh. No impacted terrestial or aquatic wildlife was reported or observed.
13. Foss and ODOT spread diatomaceous earth on stained roadway in an effort to absorb oil and reduce hazard to traffic when lane reopened.
Response activities planned for 25 June 03 include:
1. Monitor and replace absorbent materials in Wall Creek and Isthmus Slough as needed.
2. Maintain hard containment boom in Isthmus Slough.
3. Close fast lanes (inside) of Hwy 42 and commence excavation of heavily-contaminated soil in median strip. Excavation expected to continue throughout June 25 and 26, 2003.
1. During excavation, assess oil penetration into soil of median strip. If substantial make plans to procure drilling contractor to assess extent of contamination under roadbed (westbound lanes).
2. Await analytical results of disposal/profile samples. Utilize results to determine analytical approach and methods for water and confirmation soil samples.
3. Await confirmation soil sample results to determine appropriate backfill for median strip and cover/erosion control for creek/culvert bank.
4. Continue monitoring of Wall Creek and Isthmus Slough for possible ongoing releases and adjust containment/removal measures as appropriate.
5. Upon completion of contaminated soil excavation, ODOT is planning to replace oil-stained roadway.
1. Safety of site workers due to heavy traffic on roadway during excavation of median strip.
2. Need for quick turnaround times for analytical results of disposal/profile sample in order to determine required sample analyses.
3. Uncertainty of potential releases during next period of precipitation.
4. Extent of contamination from oil pooled in median strip and migration through westbound lanes roadbed in the direction of the slough.
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