On 1/26/2005 at approximately 0100 hrs., a 22-inch pipeline owned by Mid-Valley Pipeline ruptured and released 1500 barrels (over 60,000 gallons) of crude oil into the Kentucky River (NRC# 748277). The location of the break is along the north bank of the river at a point about 15 miles upstream of the confluence with the Ohio River. Art Smith of the EPA Region 4 Louisville, KY Outpost Office is the Federal On-Scene Coordinator (OSC)for this incident.
By 1900 hrs. on 1/26/2005, the leading edge of the oil slick was observed to have stopped south of the I-71 bridge over the Kentucky River, where containment boom was placed across the entire widht of the river. By 1900 hrs. on 1/27/2005, Mid-Valley Pipeline (RP) reported that over 26,000 gallons of an oil/water mixture had been collected to date. It remains unknown as to the percentage of oil product collected at this time. Additional oil spill collection sites have been established at Lock and Dam No. 1 on the Kentucky River about 3 miles upstream of the Ohio River, and at Point Park which is located at the confluence with the Kentucky River.
The Natural Resource Trustee agencies responding to the incident reported that an additoinal several hundred waterfowl approximately 75-80 geese were observed to have landed in the oil slick. Mechanisms are in place to recover and treat distressed wildlife, and "hazing cans" will be deployed to sound a loud noise and warn birds away from landing in the oil accumaulted at the primary recovery area. No other impacts to natural resources (e.g., fish kills, etc.) attributed to this incident have been reported to date.
Potential impacts to public drinking water intakes are being evaluated, due to a report by the Louisville Water Co. that samples collected at the mouth of the Kentucky River evidenced a strong oil odor". Additional coordination work is planned by KYDEP and the RP to further identify the extent to which dissolved petroleum hydrocarbosn have entered the Ohio River. The nearest drinking water intake is located in Louisville, KY, approximately 40 miles downstream of the final collection point established in the Kentucky River.
EPA is conducting air monitoring in areas where the oil has accumulated. Readings on 1/27/2005 indicated a maximum reading for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at about 5 parts per million in air. Work planned for 1/28/05 is designed to identify if benzene is present at measurable concentrations in areas where positive VOC readings are obtained.
Continue to maintain containment and begin product removal.
Conduct air monitoring and water sampling to measure the degree of impact to the environment caused by the oil spill.
Continue to monitor for impacts to affected natural resources and ensure that mechanisms are in place to treat/rehab affected wildlife.
The EPA OSC has requested that the NOAA Scientific Support Coordinator (SSC) mobilize to the scene to assist in development of shoreline cleanup approaches for areas along the Kentucky River affected by the incident.
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