Pollution/Situation Report Profile

BNSF Elmendorf Spill
Elmendorf/San Antonio, NM - EPA Region VI
POLREP #2
Final

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U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
BNSF Elmendorf Spill - Removal Polrep

EPA Emergency Response

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region VI

Subject:

POLREP #2
Final
BNSF Elmendorf Spill

Elmendorf/San Antonio, NM
Latitude: 33.7423987 Longitude: -106.9347811

To:

From:

Nicolas Brescia, FOSC

Date:

8/1/2010

Reporting Period:

7/28/2010 - 8/2/2010

1. Introduction

1.1 Background

Site Number:		Contract Number:
D.O. Number:		Action Memo Date:
Response Authority:	OPA	Response Type:	Emergency
Response Lead:		Incident Category:	Removal Assessment
NPL Status:	Non NPL	Operable Unit:
Mobilization Date:	7/27/2010	Start Date:	7/27/2010
Demob Date:	7/28/2010	Completion Date:
CERCLIS ID:		RCRIS ID:
ERNS No.:		State Notification:
FPN#:	E10640	Reimbursable Account #:

1.1.1 Incident Category

1.1.2 Site Description

Site is located in Bosque Apache National wildlife refuge

1.1.2.1 Location

Incident occurred within the Bosque Apache wildlife refuge at railroad mile post 998. The refuge is located 18 miles South/Southeast of Socorro, NM.

1.1.2.2 Description of Threat

A BNSF train track became unstable causing approximately 19 railcars to derail into an arroyo area. Three railcars that derailed contained vacuum gas oils/distillate. Two of the cars became ruptured and released approximately 50,000 gallons of distillate into an arroyo drainage basin. The spill migrated approximately .3 miles east toward a wetland area within the refuge. The arroyo drains into a wetland which drains into the Elmendorf drainage basin which drains into the Rio Grande river. The wetland is located approximately .5 miles from the spill location. The Rio Grande is located approximately 1.8 miles from the spill location.

1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results

On 07/27/2010, shortly after the spill was identified, the US Fish and Wildlife service constructed four earthen berms around the spilled product in an effort to contain the product from migrating into a wetland area which was located due east of the incident location.  RP contractors arrived on-site and began vacuuming up pooled product from the bermed areas. RP contractors also began excavation of stained contaminated soil.

On 7/27/2010 at approximately 1900 EPA START contractors arrived on-site and met with USFW personnel for a debrief. EPA START then performed a site walk to assess the extent of the oil spill and to determine the path of the spilled product.  During the initial assessment, EPA representatives observed a wetland area located approximately .5 miles east of the spill location and within the drainage pathway.  EPA observed oil stained soil within the dry arroyo from the spill location for approximately .3 miles. The stained soil was observed in flow paths to be approximately 10 foot wide on average. At the time of the assessment, the spilled product had been secured and had not impacted the wetland area. At 2100, OSC Brescia arrived on site, met with START and USFW and received a status briefing of current activities. OSC Brescia met with the RP and was briefed on current and planned cleanup operations. OSC Brescia was satisfied with the current cleanup plan, verified that no product had entered the wetland area and scheduled a meeting for the morning of 07/28/2010 with USFW, NMED, and local emergency management officials. As of 2130, the RP estimated 15,000 gallons of product had been recovered.

On 07/28/2010, The RP continued cleanup operations per direction of the USEPA, USFW and NMED. The RP continued cleanup efforts on the eastern portion of the oil spill, from the extent of the oil migration to HWY 1, working back toward the spill location. OSC Brescia and START walked the impacted area with the emergency manager. The RP communicated to the OSC that approximately 40,000 gallons of fuel oil had been lost from two tank cars. After the site walk was completed, OSC Brescia met with USFW, NMED, and local emergency managers and informed them that EPA's primary concern was to ensure that the RP had a containment plan for any runoff water from the site if a rain event occurred. OSC Brescia then informed the RP of the different jurisdictions involved and ensured that the soil cleanup operation was being coordinated with NMED. Due to current weather reports, OSC Brescia requested the RP to provide containment around any stockpiled excavated soil areas, and to provide and install filtering/booming devices in various locations of the arroyo to prevent any rainfall event from pushing residual oil/distillate from the soil into the wetland area. The RP provided a plan to the OSC. OSC Brescia determined that the released oil was contained in the dry arroya drainage area, and that it did not currently pose an imminent threat to a navigable waterway.

During the period of 07/29/2010-08/02/2010, the RP installed erosion control measures around the excavated areas based on U.S. Fish Wildlife’s guidance. These measures included the following: placement of hay bales on the east area; construction of an under flow dam at the main flow channel down-flow of the release site and installation of silt fences. These measurements would slow down runoff in case of raining events, protecting the arroyo from further spill impacts. Approximately 8,000 cubic yards of excavated soil was removed from site and transferred to a BNSF facility via rail pending disposal at Gascoyne, ND. The remaining rail cars on site will be purged and removed within the next few weeks. Once the railcars are removed from the site, the RP intends to remove an additional 2,000 cubic yards from those areas.

After calculations of the amount of spilled product released during the incident, the RP estimated a total of 50,000 gallons of oil was released during the derailment. Approximately 20,000 gallons of oil had been recovered through vacuum operations. Therefore, approximately 30,000 gallons of oil was lost in the spill and migrated into the soil. OSC Brescia informed USFW that EPA's jurisdiction remained at the surface water level and that any groundwater contamination issues could not be resolved using OPA funding. OSC Brescia did inform USFW that if contaminated groundwater infiltrated the wetland area and became surface water, then OSC Brescia would direct the RP to conduct further cleanup operations. The RP is currently working with the USFW on restoration activities and with the NMED on soil confirmation sampling. Due to the extensive effort of the cleanup operations by the RP, OSC Brescia has determined that there is no longer a surface water threat to a navigable waterway.

2. Current Activities

2.1 Operations Section

2.1.1 Narrative

On 07/27/2010 at 1000, EPA was notified by the National Response Center (NRC) of an oil spill related to a train derailment in Elmendorf, NM. Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) ,the potential responsible party (PRP), reported that the incident had occurred at 0640. The PRP reported 19 rail cars derailed during the incident. In addition, three of the rail cars in the incident were damaged and spilled oil into an unnamed arroyo beneath the incident location.

EPA, USFW, NMED, Socorro County Emergency Management, Bosque Apache Wildlife refuge FMO, New Mexico State Police and PRP contractors responded to the spill.

2.1.2 Response Actions to Date

Assessment activities only.

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

PRP has been identified as BNSF.

2.1.4 Progress Metrics

Waste Stream Medium Quantity Manifest # Treatment Disposal

2.2 Planning Section

2.2.1 Anticipated Activities

None

2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities

Storm water plan and permit will be processed according to EPA guidelines.

2.2.1.2 Next Steps

None

2.3 Logistics Section