The estimated amount of fuel loss reported is approximately
22,000 gallons, JBA said. However, the Maryland Department of the Environment
(MDE) said it is investigating a leak of roughly 32,000 gallons of jet fuel at
the base that began in January.
Environmental teams immediately initiated an investigation
to identify the source of the release and mitigate its impacts. They notified
the appropriate state and federal agencies, including the Environmental
Protection Agency, National Response Center, and the Maryland Department of the
Environment, and deployed mitigation measures to contain the fuel.
“The specific cause of the leak remains under investigation,”
Joint Base Andrews said in a press statement.
The installation’s environmental team continues to actively
implement mitigation measures to contain the release and prevent migration.
The fuel system remains shut down, and the active leak has
been stopped. The installation continues to work closely with regulatory
partners to ensure all appropriate steps are taken to address the release and
protect surrounding waterways and ecosystems. The base is also coordinating with public health agencies to ensure the safety and well-being of the base population and surrounding communities.
Joint Base Andrews in Maryland serves as the home of Air
Force One and provides critical support for the President of the United States,
including secure transport, airfield operations, and security services.
The leaking portion of the system has been isolated and shut
down while contractor Clean Harbors works to clean up the site and investigate
the source of the failure, MDE said.
Some fuel eventually flowed into the Potomac River. “There
is no threat to drinking water as intake pipes are upstream,” MDE said. “MDE is
assessing the full scope of the impact to local waterways and collecting soil
and water quality samples.”
Unacceptable Reporting
“While Maryland values its deep ties to federal defense
installations across the state, contaminating Maryland’s land and water is
unacceptable,” said Secretary of the Environment Serena Mcilwain. “The state
and the local community deserve answers and a robust response.”
MDE says the base failed to promptly disclose leaks as
required by its state oil permit and did not report the full extent of the
discharge until April 8. Its leak detection system failed multiple times
between January and March, yet MDE was not notified until odors and a fuel
sheen were observed near the headwaters of Piscataway Creek on March 23. The
contamination prevention system also failed twice in early April, when a
containment dam collapsed during heavy rain.
The Air Force shut down the leaking portion of the base’s fueling system at the
state’s direction and will not restart it until all relevant safety
requirements are met. Other parts of the base’s fueling system remain fully
operational. MDE has ordered the base to:
- Conduct
an emergency soil investigation to find exactly where the fuel is
traveling.
- Drill
and install monitoring wells and remediate impacted soils.
- Provide daily updates on all cleanup progress. The base reports it captured 10,000 gallons of fuel before it reached Piscataway Creek.
MDE advises the public to avoid swimming, wading, or recreating in areas of
Piscataway Creek where a petroleum sheen or odor is present, or near
containment booms.
No comments:
Post a Comment