1.1.1 Incident Category
Emergency response to a threat of discharge of oil to navigable waters of the US.

1.1.2 Site Description

A 120-car unit train of Bakken crude oil derailed within the town of Mosier, Oregon along the Columbia River.  The derailment took place along a rail line at or very near the crossing of Rock Creek, a tributary to the Columbia River.  Local, regional and state fire fighting agencies assumed initial command of this incident while additional state, tribal, and federal responders mobilized to the site to assist with air monitoring, prepared for a release of oil from the site, and formed Unified Command.

1.1.2.1 Location

The derailment occurred in the town of Mosier, Wasco County, Oregon on the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) main line at UPRR milepost 68.5.  The derailment and fire were approximately 130 yards south of I-84 near Exit 69 and just east of Rock Creek, which is a tributary to the Columbia River.  The site is approximately 35 miles upriver and east of the Bonneville Dam.

1.1.2.2 Description of Threat

Reportedly eleven cars derailed, with approximately six cars falling into Rock Creek.  Four oil cars caught on fire creating a an additional wildland fire impacting 5-10 acres.  There was an initial evacuation perimeter of 1/2 mile established by local firefighters, who served as the initial Incident Command for the incident.  One mobile home park was evacuated and a school was forced to temporarily shelter in place until students could be evacuated by bus resulting in 100 of the 430 residents being evacuated. The release also resulted in damage to the local Waste Water Treatment Plan which resulted in the facility having to cease operations.

Oil has been reported to have been released to the ground but none has reached the Columbia River at this early point in the incident.  If the fire cannot be controlled, the large quantity of oil present on the train poses a significant threat to the river.  Furthermore cooling tactics employed by firefighters to keep addition tank cars from catching fire has the potential of flushing oil and oily water into Rock Creek and further along into the Columbia which sits less than 200 yards away from the fire. 

1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results

Oil has been reported to have been released to the ground but none has reached the Columbia River at this point.  Significant smoke from the burning of oil has created the need for air monitoring to be able to protect local populations from inhalation of air toxics.

This area is home to federally listed endangered fish including juvenile coho salmon and winter steelhead.  The incident also comes at a critical time for sockeye salmon as they migrate through this stretch of the Columbia River.  This is also a stretch of the Columbia River with known archeological resources.

2.1.1 Narrative
Operations for the environmental response aspect of the incident have only barely begun.  The initial focus - lead by firefighters - is on controlling and extinguishing the rail cars that are actively burning and threatening adjacent cars,  nearby residents, and homes.  A focus of FOSC Franklin was to integrate quickly with firefighters to form Unified Command, identify a site safety officer, and prepare for the coordination of assets and agencies arriving on scene.

2.1.2 Response Actions to Date

Three layers of boom have been deployed on Rock Creek by response contractors in the event oil is released directly from oil train cars or is mobilized cooling water applied to rail cars.

In addition to some limited air monitoring performed by firefighters, initial air monitoring has been conducted by EPA Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team (START) members.  It was determined that no VOCs were moving beyond the "Hot Zone" and only low levels were detected within the zone.

Additional response assets are being mobilized by UPRR, the States of Oregon and Washington, EPA and the US Coast Guard to the site from various locations throughout the region and nation.

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

UPRR, as the railroad company owning this rail line, is the only PRP identified as of this time.

2.1.4 Progress Metrics

2.2.1 Anticipated Activities
Firefighters will continue to cool adjacent tanker cars through the evening and attempt to extinguish cars already engulfed in fire in the morning.  EPA with their START contractors will continue to conduct air monitoring of VOCs and begin deployment of equipment to monitor for particulate matter as well.  EPA FOSCs will be working with other agencies and support contractors to ensure assets are in position to respond to a discharge of oil to Rock Creek and the Columbia River.

A site safety plan will be developed along with all other key components of an Incident Command System structure.

Communications with the local community and media will be a priority in the coming hours and days.

2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities

Air monitoring and coordination with oil spill responders working to protect waterways from a potential discharge of oil.

2.2.1.2 Next Steps

EPA OSCs will be integrating into the existing Unified Command to better understand the situation and determine how best to support the firefighting effort while preparing for potential human health and environmental consequences of the incident.  Ongoing coordination with UPRR, affected, tribes, state, natural resource trustees, and local agencies will be a focus of the next operational period.

2.2.2 Issues

Commercial boat traffic is projected by US Coast Guard to be light over the next few days.  Because no impacts to the Columbia River have been observed, it is not anticipated that the river will be closed to boat traffic.

Late on the evening of 6/3/16 firefighters determined it was safe to open I-84 while they continued to monitor the fire.  They hope to allow evacuated residents to return to their homes tomorrow 6/4/16.

The Governor of Oregon has visited the incident.

2.5.1 Safety Officer
Oregon Hazmat Team 3

2.5.2 Liaison Officer

2.5.3 Information Officer
Judy Smith

Suzanne Skadowski

EPA FOSCs Richard Franklin and Mike Boykin

Fire Departments (15)

UPRR (2)

EPA START (6)

EPA PIO Judy Smith 

USCG (2)

ODEQ(?)

Washington Department of Ecology (?)

Yakama Nation Emergency Responders(?)