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Plains Pipeline Oil Spill

All POL/SITREP's for this site Plains Pipeline Oil Spill
Pocahontas, IL - EPA Region V
POLREP #1
Initial 		Printer Friendly  |   PDF
 
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
Plains Pipeline Oil Spill - Removal Polrep
Initial Removal Polrep

EPA Emergency Response

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region V
Subject: POLREP #1
Initial
Plains Pipeline Oil Spill

Pocahontas, IL
Latitude: 38.8317351 Longitude: -89.5980074

To: Mike Buss, City of Highland
From: Andrew Maguire, OSC
Date: 7/11/2015
Reporting Period: 7/10/2015 – 7/11/2015

1. Introduction
  1.1 Background
   
Site Number:      Contract Number:  
D.O. Number:      Action Memo Date:  
Response Authority: OPA    Response Type: Emergency
Response Lead: PRP    Incident Category: Removal Action
NPL Status: Non NPL    Operable Unit:
Mobilization Date: 7/10/2015    Start Date: 7/10/2015
Demob Date:      Completion Date:  
CERCLIS ID:    RCRIS ID:
ERNS No.:    State Notification: IEPA
FPN#: E15520    Reimbursable Account #:

1.1.1 Incident Category

Emergency Response related to an estimated 4,200 gallons of crude spilled from the Plains Pipeline pump station near Pocahontas, Illinois reported on Friday, July 10, 2015, with oil reaching Little Silver Creek and ultimately into Silver Lake. The oil is a Canadian Sour Crude Blend, an MSDS is located in the documents section of the website @ www.epaosc.org/PlainsPipelineOilSpill .

1.1.2 Site Description

At this time, the Plains Pipeline (MP-29) Release ER Site encompasses a 12 mile stretch of unnamed ditches combined into Little Silver Creek which ultimately discharges into Silver Lake.

1.1.2.1 Location

The Plains Pipeline Release ER Site address is 17720 Baumann Road, Pocahontas, Illinois.  The release site is at a petroleum pumping station.

1.1.2.2 Description of Threat

While the upper most portions of the release site is in a rural agricultural environment, crude oil has been observed approximately 8 miles away in the upper portion of Silver Lake.  The Highland, Illinois, Silver Lake is a 574 acre water-body for not only water and city park recreation but also serves as a drinking water source for a community of approximately 10,000 people. 

1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results

First responders were on the scene Friday, July 10, 2015, working to contain the oil running down ditches away from the crude oil pumping station. Clean-up crews are using underflow dams, vacuum trucks, control booms and absorbent pads in an attempt to recover the crude oil.

The town of Highland, IL shut off the water intake after notification of the spill.  Monitoring results have shown no impacts to the drinking water system at this time and has since been turned on.

The release was traced to a small-diameter pipeline fitting within the station that keeps oil flowing through its 20-inch Capwood Pipeline, which runs 58 miles from Patoka, Ill. to Wood River, Ill.

Plains has shut off two pipelines — Line 901 and Line 903 — in response to that incident, while an investigation is conducted into the cause of the spill. Oil recovery operations commenced on Friday, July 10, 2015 from the unnamed ditches, Little Silver Creek, and Silver Lake.

2. Current Activities
  2.1 Operations Section
    2.1.1 Narrative

Objectives for the response are as follows:

  • Ensure the Safety of Citizens and Response Personnel
  • Maximize Protection of Resources at Risk
  • Contain and Recover Spilled Material
  • Control the migration of product from source area
  • Manage Coordinated Response Effort
  • Recover and Rehabilitate Injured Wildlife
  • Remove Oil from Impacted Areas
  • Minimize Economic Impacts
  • Keep Stakeholders and Public Informed of Response Activities
  • Reactivate Pipeline with proper authorization

Plains Pipeline has several staff on scene along with over 100 contractors on scene to support response operations and organization. 


2.1.2 Response Actions to Date

The pipeline has been shut down since the discovery of the release.

Geographical Divisions have been delineated to manage the response. 

To date the following Operations have occurred:

  • Installation of protection boom at drinking water intake in Silver Lake
  • Monitoring and sampling of drinking water intake
  • Containment and recovery of oil within ditches, Little Silver Creek and Silver Lake
  • Environmental Monitoring and sampling for constituents of crude oil.

2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)

A Notice of Federal Interest was issued to Plains Pipeline on 7/11/2015.

2.1.4 Progress Metrics

 

Waste Stream Medium Quantity Manifest # Treatment Disposal
 Oily Liquids  Recovered Oil & Water        
    .        
 Crude Oil Impacted Solids  Misc. Debris        


  2.2 Planning Section
    2.2.1 Anticipated Activities

Additional personnel and equipment resources continue to arrive on-scene with Plains Pipeline and its various response contractors.  

Develop remediation and disposal plan for impacted areas

2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities

The following tasks are anticipated to continue into the next operational period:
    • Monitoring of protection boom at drinking water intake in Silver Lake
    • Monitoring and sampling of drinking water intake
    • Containment and recovery of oil within ditches, Little Silver Creek and Silver Lake
    • Environmental Monitoring and sampling for constituents of crude oil.
    • Assessment of extent of contamination.
    • Develop IAP for next operational period beginning at 0600 hours on 7/12/2015 to 0600 hours on 7/13/2015.
    • Continue participation in the ICS structure to plan, strategize and execute objectives and tactics as related to current and next operational period for logistics and planning requirements.  
    2.2.1.2 Next Steps

    Continue the aggressive protection of the municipal water supply intake.

    Pending approval, considerations are being made to return the pipeline to full operation. 

    2.2.2 Issues

    At this time, no recreational boats will be allowed to access Silver Lake. 


    		•
      2.3 Logistics Section
        No information available at this time.
      2.4 Finance Section
        No information available at this time.
      2.5 Other Command Staff
        2.5.1 Safety Officer

    Safety briefings are held at the beginning of each operational period and the beginning of each new assignment. 

    JSA are being conducted in the field. 

    2.5.2 Liaison Officer

    Plains Pipeline staff have identified a path for alternative water source, if necessary. 

    2.5.3 Information Officer

    The Plains Pipeline PIO is disseminating information to the moderate level of media interest and members of the public who call the Plains Hotline number. 
    3. Participating Entities
      3.1 Unified Command

    In place with operational periods planned for and executed on a 12-hour rotation basis. 

    3.2 Cooperating Agencies

    PHMSA
    Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
    City of Highland, Illinois
    Illinois Department of Natural Resources
    4. Personnel On Site
     
    USEPA     1
    START     3
    RP           20
    RP Contractors 90

    5. Definition of Terms
      No information available at this time.
    6. Additional sources of information
      6.1 Internet location of additional information/report

    www.epaosc.org/PlainsPipelineOilSpill
    www.mp29response.com


    6.2 Reporting Schedule

    POLREPS will be reported on a daily basis until further notice.
    7. Situational Reference Materials
      No information available at this time.

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