Skagit County





PRESS RELEASE

February 26, 2024




*Contact*

Jenn Rogers, Communications Manager

[email protected] <[email protected]>

360-416-1309






FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Update #20 on Olympic Pipeline Gasoline Spill

?

The Unified Command leading the response to the discharge of gasoline from a vault associated with the Olympic Pipeline in Conway, Washington has the following updates on the progress of cleanup efforts.

*Cofferdam installation*

This week, a dewatering system was installed to remove water from the soil inside the cofferdam. Water removed from the soil will be cleaned and returned to the environment. Excavation of contaminated soil along the streambank is expected to begin within the next few days, after testing of the dewatering and water treatment systems is complete.
Surface water sampling will continue during excavation.

Photos of weekly progress are available on Ecology?s Flickr [ [link removed] ] and YouTube [ [link removed] ] sites.

*Air monitoring and potential gas odor*

During excavation, mild gasoline odor may be noticeable near the site. As excavation proceeds, enhanced air monitoring on the site will ensure the safety of response workers. Community air monitoring will continue to ensure protection of the public. Based on sampling data, we do not expect air sampling levels to exceed safety thresholds.

*General information*

The Unified Command asks members of the community and public to continue reporting sheens in Hill Ditch by emailing [email protected]. To report sheens outside Hill Ditch, call 1-800-OILS-911.

Air monitoring conducted at the direction of the Unified Command continues to indicate no public health risk from gasoline fumes. Community air monitoring will continue during work hours when impacted soil is being removed.

Sampling downstream of the spill site continues and no exceedances of environmental or health-based screening values for hydrocarbons have been reported at any location since December 22, 2023.

Members of the public who come upon injured or deceased wildlife are asked not to touch or relocate affected wildlife and to call 1-800-22BIRDS.

A claims center has been established by the Olympic Pipeline. Please call 1-866-616-1558 to report any personal or property damages resulting from the spill.

The Unified Command consists of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Washington Department of Ecology, the Skagit County Department of Emergency Management, bp, the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, and Lummi Indian Nation.

Status updates are posted on Ecology?s website at ecology.wa.gov/OlympicPipelineSpill [ [link removed] ]. Photos and videos are available on Ecology?s Flickr [ [link removed] ] and YouTube [ [link removed] ] sites. For further information on this incident, contact:

Ty Keltner/Ecology: 360-515-6868
Jenn Rogers/Skagit County: 360-630-6604
Paul Takahashi/bp: 713-903-9729
Bill Dunbar/EPA: 206-245-7452

?

###








Skagit County [ [link removed] ]

SKAGIT COUNTY, WASHINGTON

County Commissioners: Lisa Janicki, Peter Browning, Ron Wesen
1800 Continental Place, Suite 100
Mount Vernon, WA 98273

[email protected]

facebook [ [link removed] ]twitter [ [link removed] ]website [ [link removed] ]

Manage Account

Subscriber Preferences [ [link removed] ] ?|? Unsubscribe [ [link removed] ] ?|? Help [ [link removed] ]



________________________________________________________________________

This email was sent to [email protected] using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: Skagit County, Washington ?1800 Continental Place, Suite 100 ?Mount Vernon, WA 98273 GovDelivery logo [ [link removed] ]