On Friday, March 14 a decommissioned above ground storage tank was mistakenly filled with 4,000 gallons of unleaded gasoline at a gas station in Hyrum City, Utah. When the operators found that the wrong tank had been filled, they pumped off the gas into the proper, in service tank and found that 1,300 gallons had been released through the out-of-service tank's access port. The operators then activated their spill response contractor, who began response operations that night (Friday, March 14).
The release made it's way through soils to a nearby canal which feeds the pond at Salt Hollow Park. The pond's outflow is piped 1.5 miles from the park to another irrigation canal which continues 3-5 miles before finding Spring Creek and Waters of the US (WOTUS).
On Tuesday, March 18, EPA Region 8 received a call from the National Response Center (NRC) reporting the spill and that cleanup operations were underway. EPA elected to deploy and OSC to assess the cleanup operations and to inspect nexus to WOTUS.
On Wednesday, March 19, EPA OSC Joe Payne arrived on site and met with local partners (Utah DEQ, Utah Water Quality, and Hyrum City representatives) as well as the private entities in charge of clean up operations. The assessment found that operations were going well and that there was no substantial threat to waters of the US.
Upon conclusion of the assessment, EPA demobilized from the site. EPA continues to consult with local responders and private partners as needed, but the role of EPA on site has concluded.
