A "pup trailer", filled with Jet-A fuel, overturned on Highway 99E approximately 100 feet south of the intersection of Territorial Street in Harrisburg, Oregon. This location (hereafter referred to as "the scene") is approximately 2 blocks east of the Willamette River, and is on the edge of the business district of Harrisburg.
Highway 99E at the scene consists of 2 lanes paved with asphalt. The intersection of highway 99E and Territorial Street is controlled by traffic lights. Highway 99E widens at the instersection to accomodate turn lanes. A Chevron gas station is located within 100 feet of the scene, and several other business are located nearby. The primary Harrisburg sewage lift station is also located nearby. The topography around the scene is generally flat, except for man-made features such as roadside ditches. The topography meets the Willamette River in a 5 to 10 foot bank.
Harrisburg is located approximately 6 miles west of exit 209 from Interstate 5.
August 16, 2004
At approximately 0345 hours, a Harris Transportation Company (identified as the responsible party, or RP) bulk tanker "pup" trailer overturned on it's right side in the southbound lane of Highway 99E at the scene. An approximately 4-foot tall by 6-inch wide tear in the tank resulted, and an initially estimated 2,700 gallons of Jet-A fuel discharged from the trailer. The truck and primary tank were not significantly damaged. A Pacific Power utility pole was also snapped as a result of the crash, but did not fall. Harrisburg Fire, Albany Fire, and Oregon HazMat Team 5 initially responded to the crash. Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) closed several blocks of Highway 99E and detoured traffic.
At approximately 0730 hours, the USEPA duty officer tasked START with responding to the scene and providing assistance to the USEPA Federal On Scene Coordinator (FOSC) who would shortly be en-route to the scene. Because of the proximity of the discharge to the Willamette River, and the presence of numerous drains and outfalls, the fuel discharge was determined to be a threat to waters of the United States.
At approximately 930 hours, the FOSC arrived on scene.
At 1045 hours, START arrived on scene. Oregon Departement of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) had a State On Scene Coordinator (SOSC) on scene. Fire department and HazMat personnel were still securing the safety of the scene. The RP's contractor, Northwest Fire Fighters, was also on the scene to provide control, containment, and cleanup support. The FOSC tasked START to prepare for water sampling around an overflow outfall into the Willamette River near the Harrisburg boat ramp.
At 1135 hours, Harrisburg Fire Department provided an outboard jet boat to serve as a sampling platform on the Willamette River. After launching and maneuvering into position, START collected 3 samples plus one duplicate from downstream of the outfall, adjacent to the outfall, and upstream of the outfall. The sampling was conducted from downstream to upstream from the bow of the boat, while the boat was making headway against the current to avoid contamination from the boat engine. The duplicate was collected adjacent to the outfall. At 1240 hours, sampling was concluded on the river, and samples were placed under custody in the USEPA response truck. Samples were iced immediately after collection on the boat. The samples are scheduled for analysis by TPH-Dx, Northwest Method, with 48-hour turn-around-time by Columbia Analytical Services Laboratory in Kelso, Washington. The laboratory is scheduled to pick up the samples on the morning of August 17, 2004.
At 1300 hours, the FOSC and START investigated the wet well at the Harrisburg sewage lift station. Harrisburg Public Works personnel reported 2-inches of fuel had ponded inside the 10-foot diameter, 30-foot deep wet well, and an unknown quantity of fuel had mixed with sewage debris inside the wet well. This well has a 12 inch overflow pipe, that discharges to the Willamette river less than 60 feet away. A vacuum truck contracted by the RP had already skimmed off the fuel and only minor blebs of fuel were still visible in the wet well. The Public Works supervisor did not believe the residual blebs would harm the sewage treatment process and began to pump the contents of the wet well to the treatment lagoon. The wet well had to be pumped down to prepare for the expected afternoon "spike" of influent municipal sewage. The vacuum truck operator reported that they recovered 4,000 gallons of liquid, but had not measured the amount of fuel versus water in the recovered liquid.
At 1345 hours, tow truck crews were ready to attempt to right the pup trailer. Pacific Power had secured the power pole with a truck mounted clamping boom. By 1445 hours, the trailer had been successfully righted, and remaining fuel was being transferred to another truck via the intact valves on the pup trailer. START documented the scene using digital photography.
At 1510 hours, the pup trailer was towed off the scene for inspection by ODOT. Sorbents were placed over fuel that was still on the roadway to avoid tracking and spreading the fuel contamination.
At 1530 hours, START collected an evidentiary soil sample from visibly contaminated soil in the roadside ditch adjacent to the accident. This sample will be analyzed per the method described above for the water samples. Spilled fuel was observed on the roadway, in ditches on both sides of the roadway, and in several storm drains. The Public Works supervisor reported that the storm drains emptied into the roadside ditches.
At 1545 hours, an IC planning meeting was held on scene to discuss the next objectives. ODOT requested that work proceed through the night so that Highway 99E could be reopened as soon as possible. One lane of traffic could be opened after flaggers were in place and after the power pole had been repaired. After the power pole was repaired, excavation of contaminated soil would begin on the northbound side of Highway 99E. It was also determined that contamination had likely migrated onto private property adjacent to Highway 99E. The next planning meeting was scheduled for 1000 hours on August 17, 2004.
At 1645 hours, START and the FOSC departed the scene for the evening. The SOSC remained on scene, and START was scheduled to return to the scene for the 1000 hours planning meeting on August 17, 2004.
August 17, 2004
START re-iced the samples collected on August 16, 2004, and left them with a separate START team member in Portland for pickup by a Columbia Analytical Services courier. The sample cooler was secured with custody seals.
START arrived back on scene at 0950 hours. At 1000 hours, the scheduled planning meeting was conducted by the SOSC with NWFF, ODOT, Harrisburg Fire and Rescue, and Harrisburg Public Works. Removal of contaminated soils on the east (northbound) side of Highway 99E had been completed, and confirmation samples had been collected. This area was now being backfilled. The next step identified was to finish marking utilities on the west (southbound) side of Highway 99E, and begin careful trenching. The lateral sanitary sewer lines need to be located so that the point of entry of fuel into the sewer could be identified and stopped. Excavation using backhoes and vacuum excavators would be done as needed to ensure the safety of buried utilities. Access to private property had been secured to ensure complete removal of contaminated soil. Public Works reported that an approximately 1/8-inch thick lens of fuel was found in the wet well this morning. The fuel was being removed using sorbents. Public Works has continually checked the treatment lagoons (located about 1.25 miles from the pump station) for sheen and have seen none.
START accompanied the Public Works supervisor on an inspection of the primary sewage pumping lift station and the treatment lagoons. START observed some rainbow-colored sheen in the wet well, and observed the removal of fuel soaked sorbent pads from the wet well. NWFF and Public Works stated they would continue to deploy and recover sorbents as needed in the wet well to eliminate product and sheen. During the lagoon inspection, no sheen was observed. NWFF had deployed boom around the raw sewage entry point in case any sheen or product was accidently pumped from the wet well. The Public Works superintendant explained that sewage water proceeded through 3 lagoons separated by hydraulic filters. The final water was then treated with chlorine in a 38,000 gallon tank prior to discharge. During the dry months until November 1, all discharged water is spray irrigated on nearby fields. During the wet months after November 1, treated water can be discharged to the Willamette River.
START also re-assessed the sewer overflow outfall into the Willamette River near the boat ramp. The outfall could not be observed directly because of heavy vegetation, but no sheen was observed near the outfall. START assessed the shoreline for about 300 feet downstream of the outfall and did not observe any sheen. START did locate a second outfall of unknown origin at the furthest point of assessment. No sheen was observed, but there was some brown foam in eddies near the shore. START reported all observations to the SOSC.
As directed by the SOSC, and after conferring with the FOSC by phone, START demobilized from the scene back to Portland.
August 18, 2004
The FOSC arrived back on scene at 0950 hours. At 1000 hours, the scheduled planning meeting was conducted by the SOSC with NWFF, ODOT, Harrisburg Fire and Rescue, and Harrisburg Public Works.
After the meeting the FOSC toured the site with ODEQ and discussed next steps including monitoring wells and contaminated asphalt removal. ODEQ felt that the road would be re-opened by 8/20/04. Further USEPA involvement was discussed and it was agreed that cooperation was good and that the ODEQ/ODOT could continue to manage the site. ODEQ agreed to contact the FOSC if further involvement of USEPA was required.
August 16, 2004
The RP's contractor plans to begin removing contaminated soil and debris the evening of August 16, 2004 until complete. The contractor received authorization from Coffin Butte Landfill for disposal there.
August 17, 2004
Soil removal on the east (northbound) side of Highway 99E and confirmation sampling was completed and overseen by the SOSC by the morning of August 17, 2004. Subsequent removal of contaminated soil on the west (southbound) side of Highway 99E is scheduled to begin this afternoon until complete.
August 16, 2004
Attend 1000 hours Planning Meeting on August 17, 2004, and assess the status of the removal action. The Willamette River overflow outfall will also be re-assessed for any changes.
Augst 17, 2004
Request verbal status report from SOSC on the morning of August 18, 2004, and reassess needs.
Removal of contaminated soil on public and private property.
Protection of utilities, including natural gas, fiber optics, and sewer.
Restoration of all Highway 99E traffic lanes.
Identifying pathway of fuel contamination to sanitary sewer system.
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