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March 5th-6th, Sunoco contractors continued to remove crude oil from the affected drainage ditch, Otter Creek, and Russell Creek (Divisions 1 through 4). Cleanup methods employed by contractors include utilizing sorbent pads, booms, and snares to remove oil, and flushing of Otter Creek utilizing water from Russell Creek (upstream of Otter Creek confluence). Water is currently being introduced into Otter Creek through a landowner providing access to drain a pond on his property directly into a tributary of the creek. Proper permitting from TCEQ has been obtained for surface water extraction and draining of the pond. Oiled sorbent pads, booms, snares, and debris are removed, placed in drum liners, put in roll-offs and secured for disposal. Total crude oil removed from the affected areas through March 6th is 105 bbls, and approximately 30 roll-offs filled with oiled debris bags. Of the 30 roll-off boxes of bagged debris, 29 have been removed from the site and sent for disposal.
Sunoco has constructed the third of the three proposed dams on Otter Creek. These are constructed of hay bales to help prevent the movement of any oil or oiled debris out into Russell Creek during any future storm events. Current weather forecasts indicate that dry weather is expected during the remainder of this week, but rain chances begin to increase late in the weekend. After visual inspection of these vegetation berms, they have begun to filter out oil that attempts to get past them, and have allowed the creek water to continue downstream.
Sunoco states that Divisions 1 and 2 are being maintained with crews for a daily inspection for leached oil that has pooled in certain locations. Crews are still operating in Divisions 3a and 3b to remove small vegetative debris that has been impacted and gathered in areas along the creek.
A meeting involving Natural Resource Damage Assessment trustees (NRDA) TCEQ, TGLO, TPWD, TRRC, along with Sunoco, EPA, U.S. Forest Service, Conestoga Rovers and Associates (CRA), and Cardno Entrix to discuss wildlife and environmental impacts of the oil in the creek. NRDA trustees indicated that impacts to Otter creek appeared to be minimal. Thermal remediation of the creek banks was proposed for those areas showing heavy staining of vegetation. After a demonstration of the proposed burning procedure, it was agreed by all parties that thermal remediation is not practical along the banks of the impacted area due mostly to the risk of the fire getting out of control and also leaving the banks unvegetated and vulnerable to rapid erosion. After further discussions with all participants, it was determined that flushing the banks with water pumping operations would be the best method going forward.
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