U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
West Creek Tanker Spill - Removal Polrep
Initial Removal Polrep
UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region VIII
|
|
Subject:
|
POLREP #1
Inital POLREP - West Creek Tanker Spill - E13803
West Creek Tanker Spill
Gateway, CO
Latitude: 38.6824780 Longitude: -108.9714690
|
|
To:
|
|
|
From:
|
Craig Myers, OSC
|
|
Date:
|
1/29/2013
|
|
Reporting Period:
|
1400 1/25/13 through 1500 1/28/13
|
|
1. Introduction
|
|
|
1.1 Background
|
|
|
|
|
Site Number: |
Z8EK |
|
Contract Number: |
|
|
D.O. Number: |
|
|
Action Memo Date: |
|
|
Response Authority: |
OPA |
|
Response Type: |
Emergency |
|
Response Lead: |
EPA |
|
Incident Category: |
Removal Action |
|
NPL Status: |
Non NPL |
|
Operable Unit: |
|
|
Mobilization Date: |
1/25/2013 |
|
Start Date: |
1/25/2013 |
|
Demob Date: |
|
|
Completion Date: |
|
|
CERCLIS ID: |
|
|
RCRIS ID: |
|
|
ERNS No.: |
|
|
State Notification: |
|
|
FPN#: |
E13803 |
|
Reimbursable Account #: |
|
1.1.1 Incident Category
Emergency
1.1.2 Site Description
On January 25, 2013, at approximately 6 a.m. a tanker truck hauling 6,000 gallons of gasoline and 2,000 gallons of diesel went off Highway 141, flipped over the guardrail, and went down a steep embankment into West Creek, approximately 20 feet below the highway. Both tanks on the tanker were breached and a fire ensued. The Grand Junction Fire Department responded to the accident and fire. Initial reports from the fire department indicate a three quarter mile running fuel fire down the creek. The fire department deployed sorbent boom at approximately 1 mile and established another boom location approximately 2 miles downstream. The product in the tanker was allowed to burn.
There was an initial fish-kill of approximately 200 fish according to the Colorado Department of Wildlife (CDOW). On Monday, January 28th, an additional 50 fish (approximately) were recovered.
West Creek enters the Dolores River approximately 10 miles downstream from the site.
The site is located approximately 30 miles southwest of Grand Junction, Colorado.
1.1.2.1 Location
8 miles east of Gateway, CO.
1.1.2.2 Description of Threat
For the majority of the reporting period, there has been bank-to-bank rainbow sheen in the calmer areas of the river for approximately 2 miles downstream. Dissolved benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene, and xylene compounds have also been detected at levels potentially harmfull to fish and other aquatic life for approximately 3 miles downstream.
1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results
EPA moblized a portable gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer unit to the scene to provide rapid analysis for BTEX in the river. Initial results showed elevated levels of BTEX compounds for approximately 4 miles downstream (approximately mile post 116 on Colorado Hwy 141). Daily samples have been taken at 7 locations on the river and have been submitted for rapid turn volatile orginic compound (VOC) analysis. Initial results indicate that there is still an impact from the spill at sufficient levels to be harmful to aquatic life from the crash site to the confluence of West Creek and the North Fork of West Creek. Sample results will be available in the site file and on the OSC website.
Additionally, at the request of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), a wipe sample was taken from the rock face where the tanker came to rest. This face was heavily impacted by the fire and smoke, and there was concern that the rock crevices could be holding petroluem that could be released into the stream during a rain event. The sample was analyzed on the HAPSITE, which did detect many BTEX constituents, indicating further release is a possibility.
|
|
2. Current Activities
|
|
|
2.1 Operations Section
|
|
|
|
2.1.1 Narrative
2.1.2 Response Actions to Date
Containment and recovery sites have been established at 4 locations on the creek:
1.) Bridge Site - immediately below the crash site at Hwy 141 milepost 120
2.) Survey Marker Site - at milepost 118.8
3.) West Creek Picnic Area Site - at milepost 116.9
4.) Beaver Pond Site - at milepost 116.3
Sites 1 and 2 still have heavy rainbow sheen "bank-to-bank." Vacuum trucks are being used to conduct oil recovery at Site 1. Sites 3 and 4 have very little sheen as of this report, but are being maintained throughout the cleanup to ensure protecton of the river downstream. All locations have sorbent booms to absorb any collected oil. Crews are changing the sorbents as needed. Used sorbents will be appropriately disposed of at a local solid waste disposal facility.
Approximately 9,000 gallons of oily water have been recovered. It is unknown what percentage of that volume is oil at this time, though it is assumed to be around one percent. Disposal is pending.
2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)
Groendyke Trucking is the owner and operator of the vehicle that crashed.
|
|
|
2.2 Planning Section
|
|
|
|
2.2.1 Anticipated Activities
2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities
Aeration systems will be installed on January 30th at two of the collection areas to aid in refloating any emulsified oil and to drive the dissolved BTEX out of the water.
The rock face will be washed using water pumped from upstream of the crash site. It will be sprayed from the road to avoid putting crew below the face, as there is some concern that the extreme heat from the fire has compromised the integrity of the rock, and the rock face may sluff off. Any product washed from the face will be collected at the bridge collection area and skimmed off into a vacuum truck.
After the rock face is washed, crews will begin surface washing operations of the shoreline at the crash site, collecting and skimming removed product as above.
Once crews reach the bridge, they will relocate the vacuum truck and skimming operation to the Survey Marker Site, and surface washing will continue to proceed down river. The endpoint of the washing will be determined in consultation with the CDOW and BLM.
2.2.2 Issues
Weather will remain a constant issue on this site. The nearest town with lodging and support facilities is Grand Junction, close to a 60 mile drive. The roads from Grand Junction are typical mountainous two lane roads that meander through steep canyons. While conditions on site may be fine, the conditions on the 40 mile road between US 50 and the site may be treacherous, and vice versa. For the moment, much of the work will be taking place below the highway bridge and within the snowplow windrow - the area that a snowplow can be expected to throw a rock or other debris. At times when CDOT is actively plowing the highway, it will be unsafe for workers on site.
|
|
|
2.3 Logistics Section
|
|
|
|
Not Applicable.
|
|
|
2.4 Finance Section
|
|
|
|
No information available at this time.
|
|
|
2.5 Other Command Staff
|
|
|
|
Not Applicable.
|
|
3. Participating Entities
|
|
|
3.1 Unified Command
Not Applicable.
Responding Agencies:
Gateway Fire
Grand Junction Fire HAZMAT
Colorado State Patrol
Colorado Department of Transportation
Colorado Department of Wildlife and Parks
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
U.S. Bureau of Land Management
|
|
4. Personnel On Site
|
|
|
Colorado Department of Wildlife and Parks - varies by day, up to 8
U.S. Coast Guard Strike Team - 2
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - 1
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - varies by day, usually 1
U.S. Bureau of Land Management - varies by day, usually 1
START - 2
RP Contractor - varies by day, approximately 10.
|
|
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/westcreektanker
6.2 Reporting Schedule
The next report will be filed on Monday, February 4th.
|
|
7. Situational Reference Materials
|
|
|
No information available at this time.
|
|
|
