Illinois EPA refers Buckeye Pipeline to Illinois Attorney General for enforcement

SPRINGFIELD--- Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Director Doug Scott has asked the Illinois Attorney General's office to proceed with enforcement action against Buckeye Partners, L.P., for numerous violations of the Environmental Protection Act subsequent to a release of gasoline from an above ground storage tank facility at their Harristown, Illinois, terminal. 

 

The decision to request enforcement assistance of this incident is based on the large volume of gasoline released into the environment and the potential to contaminate the soil and the groundwater, which could adversely affect nearby private and public drinking water supplies.  It also disrupted rail and vehicle traffic for a period of time. 

 

On June 12, 2006, Buckeye employees discovered a drainage tile discharging gasoline to an unnamed tributary of Long Point Slough, which flows into the Sangamon River.  It was originally reported that approximately 71,400 gallons, of gasoline were released from an above ground bulk storage tank.  In response to the release, absorbent booms were placed downstream of the tile in an attempt to recover the gasoline.  The release caused the closing of Old Route 36, and the Norfolk and Southern Railroad line. 

 

Illinois EPA's emergency operations staff responded to the spill and observed that gasoline was continuing to leak into the slough.  A Buckeye contractor was also on-site to recover the released product. 

 

The following day, the Illinois EPA was again on-site and observed that gasoline continued to leak into the Long Point Slough.  Recovery operations continued and efforts were underway to track the flow of the spill into the ditch to determine the source of the offsite migration.

 

On June 14, Buckeye Pipeline revised the quantity of gasoline released, estimating that 148,680 gallons of gasoline had been released.  Buckeye still had not determined the location or cause of the release, and Illinois EPA employees reiterated the urgent need to investigate the pathway of the field tile that was discharging gasoline into the environment.

 

On June 21, Buckeye advised the Illinois EPA that an estimated 66,304 gallons of released gasoline had not been recovered, and that its consultants are attempting to locate the unaccounted for product.  The Illinois EPA also learned that benzene, toluene, and other constituents found in gasoline have been detected in samples taken as close as one-quarter of a mile from the recharge area for Harristown's public water supply wells. 

 

The Agency and the Attorney General presently has an enforcement case against Buckeye regarding multiple previous releases at locations around the State. 

 

In order to keep area residents and officials informed about its response to the release, the Illinois EPA developed a fact sheet.  It is available on the agency's web site: www.epa.state.il.us 

 

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