1.1.1 Incident Category

Emergency Response
1.1.2 Site Description

Fuel spill on the tarmac at Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport Terminal
1.1.2.1 Location

The spill occurred at 0530 on April 22 on the tarmac when a refueling truck struck a bollard and a valve was sheared off. 

1.1.2.2 Description of Threat

The spill of Jet A fuel posed a threat of fire and explosion at the facility as well as a threat to the waters of the Flint River. There is also a drinking water intake on the Flint River. Downstream notifications were made by Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) and Georgia Environmental Protection Division (GAEPD) to Clayton County and the City of Atlanta.
1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results 

2.1.1 Narrative

OSC Buerki was dispatched to the spill at 2015 to assess the situation and ensure proper response actions were taken.
2.1.2 Response Actions to Date

OSC Buerki arrived on-scene at 2045 and spoke to Chris Nix, General Manager.  He reported that a contractor, Environmental Products & Services of Vermont, Inc., (EPS) had been hired and was on-scene during much of the day.  Three boom sets had been deployed. There was boom placed at the storm water outlet on airport property, boom placed at the Forest Parkway overpass outside the airport property and boom placed at the Atlanta South Parkway overpass. Chris Nix gathered information necessary to obtain escort badges the next morning to gain access to the airport property. Jair Sweatman arrived at 2110 hours to guide OSC Buerki to the boom sets off the airport property.  There was a strong kerosene odor present at the overpasses.  No night operations were ongoing.

OSC Buerki returned the next morning.  Dozens of minnows were observed dead in the Flint River at the Atlanta South Parkway location.  EPS was recovering Jet A with a vacuum truck and sorbent pads and boom. A fourth boom set had been placed at Highway 85.  The distance from the spill to the last boom set was reported to be 4.7 miles.

J. R. Campbell with GAEPD arrived on-scene.  The Highway 85 boom set was observed and corrective action made to improve oil capture.  The storm water outlet was observed.  There did not appear to be any more free product discharging from the airport property.  GAEPD committed to following up with ASIG after the first rainfall later in the week.

 EPS was directed to use a leaf blower to free pooled oil from vegetation and rip rap.  There was also oil staining visible on the exposed parts of the fractured rock riverbed.  EPS was directed to use a submersible pump and river water to flush out the entrapped oil.

 An SPCC inspection was performed during the response.

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

ASIG is the operator of the mobile refueler that discharged the Jet A fuel.
2.1.4 Progress Metrics

3.1 Unified Command

3.2 Cooperating Agencies

 GAEPD

EPA -

 OSC Karen Buerki

 GAEPD -

 J.R. Campbell

ASIG -

 Chris Nix, General Manager

 Kris Beardsley

 EPS of Vermont, Inc. -

 Chad Phillips

 Guy Allard