U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
ON/SCENE COORDINATORS REPORT
BATTLE OF BULL RUN
MANASSAS, VIRGINIA MARCH, 1980
MAJOR POLLUTION INCIDENT
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ON-SCENE COORDINATOR'S REPORT
BATTLE OF BULL RUN
MANASSAS, VA. MARCH, 1980
MAJOR POLLUTION INCIDENT
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency
Middle Atlantic Region III
6th and Walnut Streets
Philadelphia, PA 19106
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
MANASSAS, VA
MAJOR POLLUTION INCIDENT
MARCH, 1980
FEDERAL PROJECT NO. 05-100-108-80
VOLUME I
SECTION PAGE
1. FOREWORD i
2, INTRODUCTION 1
3. ROSTER OF AGENCIES, ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS 3
4. SUMMARY OF EVENTS
a. Cause of the Incident 8
b. Initial Situation 10
c. Organization of the Response 12
d. Resources Committed, Including Costs 13
e. Location of Spill 15
f. Details of Federal or State Efforts to Replace
Natural Resources 16
g. Details of Threat Abatement Actions 17
h. Facts and Statistics 20
5. EFFECTIVENESS OF RESPONSE AND REMOVAL ACTIONS
a. Discharger 21
b. State and Local Forces 22
c. Federal Agencies and Special Forces 23
d. Contractor, Private Groups, Volunteers 26
e. Extent of Contamination Survey 27
6. PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED
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TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued)
MANASSAS, VA
MAJOR POLLUTION INCIDENT
MARCH, 1980
FEDERAL PROJECT NO. 05-100-108-80
VOLUME I
SECTION PAGE
7. RECOMMENDATIONS
a. Means to Prevent a Recurrence of the Incident 32
b. Improvement of Response Actions 33
8. INITIAL SPILL REPORT AND ELEMENTS OF CIVIL PENALTY 34
9. POLREPS, PHOTOGRAPHS, NEWS ARTICLES 40
10. OSC LOG 81
recycled paper ecology and environment, inc.
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SECTION 1
FOREWORD
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FOREWORD
This report is submitted in accordance with procedures outlined in
the National Oil and Hazardous Materials Contingency Plan. The primary
thrust of the Plan is to provide a coordinated Federal response capability
at the scene of an unplanned or sudden discharge of oil or hazardous
substance that poses a threat to the public health or welfare. The pro-
visions of the National Contingency Plan were implemented by Environmental
Protection Agency, Region III, Philadelphia.
Special thanks are extended to the many agencies and groups who
participated in the Federal Removal Activity. This well coordinated team
effort on-scene and the assistance and support from the Regional Response
Team enabled a timely and efficient cleanup which prevented major contam-
ination of drinking water supplies for 700,000 citizens in Fairfax County,
Virginia.
The Commonwealth of Virginia, through the efforts of Ernie Watkins,
State Water Control Board,and William Whitehead, Office of Emergency and
Energy Services, displayed outstanding abilities coordinating the State's
resources during the cleanup activities. Selby Jacobs of Prince William
County, Fire and Rescue Service displayed quick and professional resources
to initially contain the spread of spilled kerosene. Special appreciation
is given to Dr. Thomas Grizzard of the Occoquan Watershed Monitoring
Laboratory for his dedication and many long hours spent on-scene.
The Federal agencies I directed on-scene are due special recognition
for the professional manner they displayed during the emergency. The
United States Coast Guard Atlantic Strike Force Team, Commander D. Jenson
and EPA's Environmental Response Team, Steven Dorrler and their respective
personnel who aided in establishing site control and coordination of the
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scientific communities were outstanding. The Departments of the Army
and the Navy and the Fish and Wildlife Service played an important role
with their personnel, equipment and expertise which minimized threats to
public health and environmental damage.
The continuity of operations, through resources marshalled to deal
with changes under emergency conditions, required extra effort by my staff
and other Federal, State and local authorities. I wish to thank all of
the persons who contributed to the successful response and commend them
on their professional and expert handling of this major pollution incident.
Thomas I. Massey
On-Scene Coordinator
EPA, Region III
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SECTION 2
INTRODUCTION
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INTRODUCTION
In early March, 1980, near highway 234, north of Manassas, Prince
William County, Virginia and near highway 611, in Orange County, Virginia,
34 miles away, Colonial Pipeline Company experienced two simultaneous
breaks in their 32-inch products pipeline. This resulted in Virginia's
largest inland oil spill where approximately 416,000 gallons of kerosene
and No. 2 oil spilled into the watersheds of Bull Run and Rapidan River.
The spills constituted substantial threats to drinking water plants in
Fairfax County and Fredericksburg, Va., and to the sensitive fish and
wildlife habitats in those areas.
The spill in Manassas was approximately 326,000 gallons of aviation
kerosene of which approximately 252,000 gallons were recovered. In
Fredericksburg, on the Rapidan River, approximately 90,000 gallons of
No. 2 oil was spilled. Approximately 26,000 gallons were recovered.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region III, acting
under Section 311 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act responded on-
scene and directed Federal Removal Activities of the National Contingency
Plan. This report includes accounts of the activity in Bull Run, Manassas.
The accounts of the spill in the Rapidan River, which were received 48 hours
after the initial oil spill report in Manassas, are addressed in a separate
OSC report since those activities were conducted independently of the
activities described in this report.
Manassas Background
The city of Manassas was founded in the middle 1700's and was primarily
a farming community, located about 25 miles southwest of the District of
Columbia, and 85 miles northwest of Richmond, Virginia. Today, it is prim-
arily a residential community of people employed in Washington, D.C. and
by a growing number of local industries.
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Manassas, is in Prince William County, which between 1960 and 1970
exhibited the fastest county growth rate in the United States. The
present population of Manassas is 15,000. The population within a sur-
rounding 10 mile radius is 50,000.
The primary water supply for the area is the Occoquan Reservoir. Water
is drawn from the reservoir to the Fairfax County Water Authority's Treatment
Plant for treatment and distribution. This plant serves approximately
700,000 people, approximately 25 percent of the Washington, D.C. metropolitan
area.
Bull Run passes through Manassas, and flows into the Occoquan Reservoir.
These water bodies provide a natural habitat for a variety of fish and wild-
life. Bull Run Regional Park, a family recreational area is located on
the northern side of Bull Run.
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SECTION 3
ROSTER OF AGENCIES, ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS
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SECTION 3 - ROSTER
Agencies, Organizations, Individuals
Federal Project 05-100-80
Manassas, Virginia
Names and Addresses
Contact
Brief Description of Work
Personnel on Site
U.S. EPA Region III
Environmental Emergency Branch
6th & Walnut Streets
Philadelphia, PA 19106
U.S. EPA
Environmental Response Team
Edison, NJ 08817
Cincinnati, OH 45268
U.S. EPA Region III
Public Information Office
6th & Walnut Streets
Philadelphia, PA 19106
U.S. EPA
Environmental Photographic
Interpretation Center
Warrenton, VA 22186
U.S. EPA
401 M. Street, S.W.
Washington, O.C. 20460
Thomas I. Massey
Jeff Hass
Steve Dorrler
Dr. J. Lafornara
R. Turpin
R. Cilbuskis
T. Sell
J. Gilbert
R. Nadeau
George Bochanski
Gordan Howard
Robin Woods
Luke Aster
Peter Acly
Alan Humphrey
OSC
RRT Chairman
Scientific support coordination
organized sampling and stream
profiling activities; coordinated
on-site mobile lab for analysis
on stream samples
Press liason & Public
Spokesperson; coordinated media
inquiries
Aerial photograhy
Press liason and public spokesperson
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Names and Addresses
Contact
Brief Description of Work
Personnel on Site
U.S. EPA
Oil & Hazardous Material Spill Lab
Edison, NJ 08817
U.S. Coast Guard
5th District
431 Crawford Street
Portsmouth, VA 23705
U.S. Coast Guard
Atlantic Strike Team
Elizabeth City, NC 27909
U.S. Navy
Environmental Protection Division
Pentagon
Washington, DC 20350
U.S. Navy
Cheasapeake Division
Naval Facilites Engineering Command
Washington, D.C. 20350
U.S. Navy
Public Works
Norfolk, VA 23511
U.S. Army Quartermaster School
Petroleum & Field Services Dept.
240th Quatermaster Battalion
Ft. Lee, VA
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
P.O. Box 1715
Baltimore, MD 21203
Kevin Hoogerhyde
Devin Vasilik
Comdr. G. Moran
William Gregory
Comdr. D.S. Jensen
Commanding Officer
Chief Wayne Jackson
Carl B. Irwin
NRT DOD Rep.
Wayne Wilcox
RRT Representative
Commander Dillman
Col. Joe Volpe
Mordecai Bennett
Mobile lab activities
RRT Representative
Contracting Officer, advised
OSC on 311 funding procedures
Various site coordination and
equipment support activities;
supervised work crews at Marina site, 10
provided on-scene command post.
Coordinated cleanup logistics
Provided manpower and equipment to 1
aid in clean-up operations
Provided manpower and equipment 10
to aid in clean-up operation.
Provided Navy 3001 skimmer on-scene 8
Provided manpower and equipment to aid
in clean-up operations. Provided large
amount of men and materials needed to 75
quickly contain and remove kerosene.
Provided contingency to recover kerosene
(bladder bag).
RRT Representative 1
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Names and Addresses
Contact
Brief Description of Work
Personnel on Site
en
i
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
803 Front Street
Norfolk, VA 23510
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services
One Gateway Center
Newtown Corner, MA 02158
U.S. Food & Drug Administration
Dept. of Health, Education & Welfare
701 W. Broad Street
Falls Church, VA 22046
U.S. Dept. of Transportation
Materials Transportation Bureau
400 Seventh Avenue S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20590
VA State Wate'r Control Board
5515 Cherokee Avenue
Alexandria, VA 22313
VA Office of Energy and
Emergency Services
VA State Health Department
Division of Water Programs
Culpepper, VA 22701
VA Commission of Game & Inland
Fisheries
4010 W. Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23230
Rodney McCormack RRT Representative
Allen Jackson
Gerald Miller
Lance Heverly
Ernie Watkins
William Whitehead
Edmund Lewis
J.W. Berry, Jr.
RRT Representative
Advised OSC on environmental impact of
spill on wildlife and habitat of Bull Run
and associated waterways.
RRT Representative
Fish tissue analysis, advised
OSC on impact of spill on recreational
fishing.
RRT representative
Investigation of cause of pipeline
failure. Assessed chances of repeat of
incident.
State support - manpower and technical
assistance to aid in clean-up operation.
Governor's representative on-scene.
OSC representative on-scene.
Coordination between Governor's Office
and OSC. Through respective county
offices, provided office staff support.
Coordination between water treatment
plant and OSC. (Key coordination for
protection of drinking water supply.)
Survey of fish and wildlife damage.
Expert assistance on restoration of wildlife
and habitat. Coordination of public volunteer
effort.
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8
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Brief Description of Work
Personnel on Site
Provided back-up containment and
cleanup at Bull Run Marina under
311 activity.
Provided electrical service to Command
Post at Bull Run Marina.
Provided electrical service to Command
Post installed in Holiday Inn parking
lot, Manassas.
Connected electrical service to Command
Post at Bull Run Marina.
Provided telephone service to Command
Post at Holiday Inn, Manassas, Va.
Provided Telephone service to Command
Post at Bull Run Marina.
Extent of contamination survey on
environment impacted by spill.
(Rockwell International Task 12 Under
ERT Function)
Name and Addresses
Contact
Sea Land Environmental Engineering
P. 0. Box 45, Woodmont Station
Mil ford, CT 06460
*
VEPCO
1900 N. Beauregard St.
Bldg. 5
Alexandria, VA 22311
Prince William Electric Cooperative
10323 Lomond Drive
Manassas, VA 22110
J. Sam Woods Electric Service
14216 Essex Drive
Woodbridge, VA 22191
Continental Telephone Company
9401 Peabody Street
Manassas, VA 22110
C & P Telephone Company
P. 0. Box 27272
Richmond, VA 23272
Woodward - Clyde Associates
3 Embarcadero Center
Suite 700
San Francisco, CA 94111
Edward Dodge
J. Sam Woods
Bob Castle
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Names and Addresses
Contact
Brief Description of Work
Personnel on Site
Prince William County Fire and
Rescue Service
9300 Lee Avenue
Manassas, VA 22110
Prince William County Public
Works Department
9258 Lee Avenue
Manassas, VA 22110
Fairfax County Office of Energy
and Emergency Services
4100 Chain Bridge Road
Fairfax, VA 22030
Fairfax County Water Authority
8560 Arlington Blvd.
Merrifield, VA 22116
Occoquan Watershed Monitoring Lab
P. 0. Box 773
Manassas, VA 22110
Technical Assistance Team
Ecology & Environment, Inc.
8021 North Crescent Blvd.
Pennsauken, NJ 08110
Ag Rotors
P. 0. Box 578
Gettysburg, PA 17325
Selby Jacobs
James Payne
David Watkins
Henry Gay
Dr. Thomas Grizzard
Dr. Baron Weand
John J. Walsh
Ken Wymer
Initial containment by local 17
fire company. Coordination of
citizens concerns. Installed first
booms in tributary and Bull Run.
Provided command post office support.
Coordinated incineration of 4
contaminated debris, eliminating
need for interim storage
considerations.
Liason between Fairfax County 1
and OSC (Bull Run is dividing line
between Fairfax and Prince William
Counties).
Feasibility studies to determine abil- 3
ity of water treatment plant to handle
kerosene. Activated carbon filtration,
odor threshold. Operators of water
supply threatened by spill.
Sampling and analysis assistance 8
Expert recommendations on on-scene
analysis procedures for kerosene in
water. Recommendations on stream
profiling.
Technical assistance operations 4
coordination.
Helicopter support 3
Crucial for observing progress of
cleanup effort. Aided identification
of areas of pooled kerosene. Inaccessi-
bility of Bull Run to land transoortation.
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SECTION 4
SUMMARY OF EVENTS
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SECTION 4 SUMMARY
a. Cause of Incident
The pipeline rupture at Manassas, occurred on March 6, 1980 at 1536
hours. Causes of the rupture were corrosion of the pipe and abnormally
high line pressure.
The pipeline is owned and operated by Colonial Pipeline Company and
is part of a supply network which runs from Greensboro, North Carolina to
Linden, New Jersey. The pipeline operation is automated and is monitored
by company controllers at the Central Control Center in Atlanta, Georgia.
However, the rupture did occur under a high pressure condition which is
attributed to human error. The events leading to this human error are as
follows:
At 1522 hours on March 6, 1980 startup, was initiated on the pipeline
from Greensboro to Linden, with kerosene in the line at the point where
the Bull Run break occurred. The Controller, following standard proce-
dures, was to start the first pump unit at Greensboro and start each
succeeding pump station, travelling north (down-stream) on the pipeline
on a pressure-time basis. For unknown reasons, the Controller fell behind
in the startup sequence on stations in Maryland. When he started Conowingo
Station in Northern Maryland, the pipeline experienced a high suction pres-
sure. The station pump ran for about one minute and then was automatically
shut down by protective equipment.
This resulted in a pressure surge travelling south on the pipeline,
which sequentially shut down each succeeding station up to and including
Chantilly Station, which is 6.3 miles north of Bull Run. When Conowingo
shut down due to high line pressure, the Controller should have followed
normal procedures for orderly shut down of the Greensboro-Linden segment
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and then restarted it under controlled conditions. He erred in attempting
an alternate method of controlling the situation by attempting to open the
stream into a stub line leading to Fairfax, Virginia. This resulted in a
pressure surge in the pipeline in the area of Manassas which resulted in
the pipeline rupture.
Separate detailed accident reports from Colonial Pipeline Company and
the United States Department of Transportation, Materials Transportation
Bureau, are available from On Scene Coordinator's Office, U.S. EPA Region III
Site of Colonial Pipeline break
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SECTION 4 SUMMARY
b. Initial Situation \
Notification of the pipeline rupture in Manassas, to EPA, Region III
Environmental Emergency Branch occurred on 3/6/80 at 1650 hours by Mr.
Lowe of the Prince William County Fire Department. At this time the esti-
mate of kerosene spilled was 90,000 gallons. The spilled material was
entering an unnamed tributary to Bull Run near the point where the tribu-
tary passed under Sudley Road.
The spiller, Colonial Pipeline Company, assumed responsibility for the
spill by sending their personnel immediately to the site and engaging J & L
Industries, a cleanup contractor, to abate the emergency.
The first Federal official on scene was Lt. T. H. Micklas, USCG,
Baltimore, Maryland, arriving at 2100 hours on 3/6/80. Tom Massey, EPA
On-Scene Coordinator arrived on scene that date at 2330 hours. Also on
scene at this time were officials from the Virginia State Water Control
Board.
Initial containment by the Prince William County Fire and Rescue Serv-
ice was attempted shortly after the spill was reported and located. A hay
bale dam was constructed in the unnamed tributary near its confluence with
Bull Run Marina.
By 0300 hours, 3/7/80, the kerosene had traveled 4 miles down Bull
Run. Three containment booms were in place 7 miles downstream at Bull
Run Marina. The Marina was chosen as a primary containment site because
of its accessibility.
The major concern of the OSC was the protection of public drinking
water supply. The intake for the Fairfax County Water Authority is located
in the Occoquan Reservoir, 10.5 miles downstream of Bull Run Marina. This
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plant supplies water to approximately 700,000 people and did not have a
back-up supply .available if the plant were to shut-down. Additionally,
the area provides significant natural wildlife habitat and includes the
endangered Bald Eagle.
To aid in supervision and operation phases of the spill cleanup,
the OSC requested the services of the USCG Atlantic Strike Team and the
EPA Environmental Response Team. Because of the threat to wildlife, person-
nel from the United States Fish & Wildlife Service were on scene.
By 2200 hours on 3/7/80 containment booms were placed in 6 locations
over a 10 mile stretch of stream. Removal operations were underway and
by 2015 hours on 3/8/80, 35,000 gallons of kerosene had been recovered.
However, a large quantity of oil remained in Bull Run and presented a threat
to the community's drinking water supply.
On 3/7/80 the Regional Response Team was activated. The OSC briefed
the members on the situation and presented plans of Colonial Pipeline
Company. The company proposed total commitment of their resources to
abate this spill. At 1430 hours on 3/9/80, almost 70 hours after the
spill was first reported, large amounts of oil still remained in Bull Run.
If the booms had failed at Bull Run Marina, it was concluded that there
would be little chance to contain the oil before it would reach the drinking
water intake. The OSC declared a Federal Removal Action on 3/9/80 in order
to provide the resources that otherwise would not be available to Colonial
Pipeline Company.
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SECTION 4 SUMMARY
A
c. Organization of Response
When the OSC declared a Federal Removal Activity for the Manassas
project, many governmental and private resources could now be utilized
to combat the effects of the spill. Figure 1, (next page) identifies
these resources and portrays how they reported to the OSC. Section 3,
Roster of Agencies, shows how they provided assistance in the Federal
Removal Activity.
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SECTION 4 -- SUMMARY
C. Organization of Response
Figure 1...
13
Versar Lab
14
J & L
Industries
20
Fairfax Co.
21
PIC Fire
& Rescue
22
PWC Public
Works
AST
15
Colonial
Pipeline Co.
16
VA Game &
Fisheries
17
VA Water
Cntrl. Bd.
18
VA Health
19
VA Emerg.
Services
23
Occoquan
Monit. Lab
1-
OSC.
RRT
ERT
USCG 5th
District
U. S. Army
Ft. Lee
8
U. S. Navy
U. S. FDA
10
U. S. FWS
11
U. S. EPA
12
U. S. Army
Corps Eng.
TAT>
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SECTION 4 SUMMARY
C. Organization of Response
Table 1...
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
OSC
RRT
ERT
AST
TAT
6. USCG 5th District
7. U.S. Army, Ft. Lee
8. U. S. Navy
9. U.S. FDA
10. U.S. FWS
11. U.S. EPA
12. U.S. Army Corps Eng.
13. Versar Lab
14. J&L Industries
15. Colonial Pipeline
16. VA Game & Fisheries
17. VA Water Cntrl.'Bd.
On Scene Coordinator
Regional Response Team
Environmental Response Team
U. S. Coast Guard
Ecology & Environment, Inc.
Technical Assistance Team
U. S. Coast Guard
5th District Headquarters
Thomas I. Massey
Jeff Hass, Chairman
Steve Dorrler, Branch Chief
CDR Don Jensen, Commander
John J. Walsh
CDR Gene Moran
RRT Representative
U. S. Army Quartermaster School Col. Joe Volpe, Commander
Petroleum & Field Services Dept.
240th Quartermaster Battalion
Ft. Lee, VA
U. S. Navy Wayne Wilcox
Chesapeak Division RRT Representative
Naval Facilities Engineering Command
Washington, D. C.
U. S. Food & Drug Administration
Dept. of Health, Education &
Welfare
Gerald Miller
RRT Representative
U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service Allen Jackson
RRT Representative
U. S. Environmental Protection
Agency
George Bochanski
Director Regional News
Office
U. S. Army Corps of Engineers Rodney McCormack
M. Bennel
RRT Representatives
Versar Laboratories
J&L Industries
Colonial Pipeline Company
Virginia Commission of Game
and Inland Fisheries
Virginia State Water Control
Board
Jim Sussman, President
Jim Sorrow
J. W. Berry, Jr., Fish &
Game Officer
Ernie Watkins, RRT
Representative
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SECTION 4 -- SUMMARY
C. Organization of Response
Table 1 (Continued)...
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
VA Health Dept.
VA Emerg. Services
Virginia State Health Department
Division of Water Programs
Virginia Office of Emergency
Services
Fairfax Co. Wtr. Auth. Fairfax County Water Authority
PWC Fire & Rescue
PWC Public Works
Occoquan Monit. Lab
Prince William County
Fire & Rescue
Prince William County
Public Works Department
Occoquan Watershed Monitoring
Laboratory
Edmund Lewis
William Whitehead
RRT Representative
Henry Gay
Selby Jacobs, Director
James Payne, Director
Dr. Thomas Grizzard
Director
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SECTION 4 SUMMARY OF EVENTS
d. Resources Committed
A brief description of resources committed by the agencies and con-
tractors involved in response activities is contained in Section 3, Roster
of Agencies. A discussion of the impact of these resources on the cleanup
activity is provided in the "Effectiveness of Response and Removal Actions,"
Section 5 of this report.
The following page shows the costs incurred by the agencies and con-
tractors utilized as a part of the Federal Removal Activity. These
expenses are a small fraction of the total expenses, most of which were
incurred by the responsible party.
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Major Pollution Incident, Kerosene Spill
Colonial Pipeline Company, Bull Run
Manassas, Virginia
Federal Project No. 05-100-108-80
Number of Cost to Date
Agency Personnel Involved 8/28/80 Ceiling*
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency 15 $ 11,019.05 $ 12,000
U. S. Coast Guard 10 4,207.96 4,500
U. S. Army 75 37,152.51 38,000
U. S. Navy - Surface Weapons Center 10 15,815.00 .16,000
U. S. Navy - Naval District Washington 3 2,940.79 3,000
U. S. Navy - Public Works Center 8 19,192.71 20,000
U. S. Fish & Wildlife 4 6,500.00 7,500
Occoquan Watershed Monitoring Lab 5 19,724.09 20,000
Ag Rotors 3 26,740.00 27,000
VEPCO 63.82 100
Prince William Electric Cooperative 231.98 250
J. Sam Woods Electric Service 248.84 250
Continental Telephone Company 1,117.10 1,200
C & P Telephone Company 210.78 250
Sealand Environmental Engineering Co. 5 7,196.80 7,300
Rockwell International 73,200.00 80,000
TOTAL 138 $2^5,561.43 $237,350
*Note: Total authorized ceiling is $300,000.00
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SECTION 4 -- SUMMARY OF EVENTS
e. Location of Spill (See map, Figure 2)
The spill occurred at the point where the 32-inch pipeline passes
under Virginia State Route 234 (Sudley Road) one mile north of Manassas at
Latitude 77° 30' 30" North, Longitude 38° 47' 30" West. The spill
entered the headwaters of an unnamed tributary to Bull Run. Bull Run is
a tributary to Occoquan River and Reservoir, a non-tidal waterway. Occo-
quan River is a tributary to the Potomac River that flows into the
Chesapeake Bay.
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Unnamed
Tributary
Figure 2
SITE MAP OF KEROSENE SPILL
FEDERAL REMOVAL ACTIVITIES
MARCH 1980
Bull Run
Marina
»>!
«-^- _
Fairfax Countj
Water Intake
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SECTION 4 SUMMARY OF EVENTS
f. Details of Federal & State Restoration
A Damage Assessment Task Force has been established to access the envi-
ronmental damage from the two oil spills from the Colonial Pipeline in
Orange County and Manassas, Virginia. Funds for conducting damage assess-
ment studies are available from the United States Environmental Protection
Agency under Section 104 of P. L. 92-500. This group, composed of repre-
sentatives from the U. S. EPA, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Virginia
State Water Control Board, Virginia Commission of Game and Inland Fisheries,
and the Virginia Department of Planning and Budget, has met and developed
a plan of action for studying the impact of these spills on the aquatic
and human environments of the two areas.
State and local authorities have been monitoring the amount of oil in
Occoquan Reservoir, which is the source of drinking water for most of North-
ern Virginia. At this time, there is no evidence of detectable amounts of
oil in the water column.
An Extent of Contamination Study, funded under Section 311 activities,
for areas affected by kerosene spillage, was performed by Woodward and
Clyde, Inc., a private consultant under contract to U. S. EPA. A summary
of the report is contained in Section 5.
Preliminary restoration work was performed at the expense of Colonial
Pipeline Company at the pipeline break site. All contaminated soil
was removed and replaced with clean soil. The area was graded and seeded.
At Bull Run Marina, where most oil recovery operations took place,
trees removed for equipment access were replaced, new blacktop was placed
in the parking lot and all affected ground received new top soil and was
seeded. Throughout the park, wood fences, gates, and hiking trails that
had been damaged were restored.
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SECTION 4 SUMMARY OF EVENTS
g. Details of Threat Abatement Actions
t
Actions taken to reduce the threats posed by the kerosene were'-;
directed at two problem areas.
First was the protection of public safety and health. This encompassed
the threat of fire, the threat of contaminating public drinking water, and
the threat of poisoning by ingestion of contaminated game and fish.
Second was the protection of the environment directly impacted by the
kerosene including the shorelines, streams, recreational areas, and wild-
life refuges; and the protection of a diverse variety of aquatic, terres-
trial, and ornithological wildlife that included nesting bald eagles.
Protection of Public Health and Safety
1) Fire Hazard
Ignition of kerosene requires direct application of a flame when the
material is heated to its flash point of 130°F. As the time of year was
early March with weather conditions varying from snow and rain to clear
with mild temperatures and access to the spilled material was quite limited,
the threat of fire was minimal. Prince William County Fire Department per-
sonnel departed the scene shortly after the arrival of the OSC but remained
on standby for the duration of the Federal Removal Activity. Cigarette
smoking, flame, and spark producing devices were regulated by a site safety
standard operating procedure and enforced by OSC representatives. Rest
areas were provided for contractor and other personnel on scene.
2) Drinking Water
Protection of the public drinking water supply was by far the most
difficult challenge faced by the OSC.
The Fairfax County Water Authority drinking water intake located
adjacent to the Occoquan Dam is 23.8 miles downstream from the break point.
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The water supplied by this facility serves most of the northern Virginia
suburbs of Washington, D.C., or approximately 700,000 people. This is
25 percent of the drinking water supply of the greater metropolitan Wash-
ington, D.C. area. Reserve supplies could accomodate only 10 percent of
those needs. No established alternative supplies were available.
The first steps taken were to contain the pollutant as rapidly as
possible and as far away from the Occoquan Water Inlet as possible and to
minimize the dissolution of the pollutant into the water column.
The next step was to develop a treatment strategy. Ceiling limits
on kerosene applicable to drinking water quality were ascertained, avail-
able treatment methods and access to appropriate supplies and equipment
were identified.
An analytical strategy was necessary to determine the concentration
of kerosene in the water column, where these concentrations were located
(i.e., the leading and trailing end of contaminant). It was necessary to
determine the speed at which this contaminant was moving relative to project
time frames in order for the treatment strategy to work as planned.
A drinking water Defense Management Task Force was assembled on-scene
by the OSC comprising of the following:
Mr. William Whitehead, Virginia Office of Energy and
Emergency Services
Mr. Henry Gay, Fairfax County Water Authority
Mr. Edmund Lewis, Virginia State Health Department
Dr. Thomas Grizzard, Occoquan Watershed Monitoring Lab
Mr. Ernest Watkins, Virginia State Water Quality Board
Dr. Joseph Lafornara, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency,
Environmental Response Team
Mr. Rod Turpin, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency,
Environmental Response Team
Mr. Robert Cibulskis, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency,
Environmental Response Team
Mr. Thomas Sell, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency,
Environmental Response Team
- 18 -
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A drinking water toxicity level of 180 ppb for kerosene was established.
Odor threshold and action levels were 100 ppb. A sampling program was estab-
lished to thoroughly profile the contaminant in the Occoquan River using a
series of strategic sampling points and methods. Initially, a spectro-
fluorimeter was used for the analysis. This method did not yield the
desired results. Odor threshold analysis continued to approximate the
leading edge of the contaminant dissolved in the water column until analyt-
ical methods were modified. The EPA Research and Development Laboratory in
Edison, New Jersey provided analytical laboratory assistance. The Occoquan
Watershed Monitoring Laboratory with the assistance of Versar Laboratories,
Inc., continued and completed the analytical tasks.
It was determined that based on the amount of dissolved kerosene in
the water column as determined by analysis, the Fairfax County Water
Treatment Plant could remove the kerosene by increasing their existing
powdered activated carbon treatment capabilities. With the analysis and
treatment carefully coordinated, quality control checks performed by the
Virginia State Health Department revealed 350 ppb kerosene in the raw
water inlet and no detectable quantity of kerosene in finished water.
3) Edible Sport Fish
In the interests of protecting the public health and safety, a concern
was shared by the Virginia State Health Department, the State Game and
Inland Fisheries Commission and the State Water Control Board that a minor
potential threat existed to persons eating contaminated game fish caught in
the Occoquan. A fishing ban was considered, but due to the limited amount
of fishing done during that time of year this plan was not implemented.
Local citizens were advised against fishing in the Occoquan and eating
game fish that smelled of kerosene.
- 19 -
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SECTION 5
EFFECTIVENESS OF RESPONSE AND REMOVAL ACTIONS
-------
FACTS AND STATISTICS
Manassas Represents the Largest Inland Oil Spill in Virginia's History
t 336,000 gallons Aviation grade kerosene spilled.
200,000 gallons kerosene were recovered.
t 136,000 gallons kerosene were lost to the environment.
105.88 tons of oil soaked debris was incinerated at Prince William
County landfill.
5,000 acres of land were affected by kerosene spilled.
Animal kill at Bull Run included 16 mammals and 32 birds.
Species involved include:
- 8 Mallards
- 15 Wood duck
- 5 Canadian geese
- 1 Hooded margansen
- 3 Gulls
- 14 Beaver
- 2 Muskrat
Cost to Date
Federal Government - $226,000
Colonial Pipeline - Not available
Number of persons involved (205 total)
Federal: 137
State: 31
Local: 25
Private Contractors: 12
- 20 -
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SECTION 5 EFFECTIVENESS OF RESPONSE AND REMOVAL ACTIVITIES
v
. . X
a. The Discharger: Colonial Pipeline Company
Colonial Pipeline Company, after initial notification, immediately
responded on-scene with top management and technical personnel. A private
contractor, previously retained was called to take immediate containment
actions. The OSC met on-scene with these officials 8 hours after the rup-
ture occurred to prioritize containment methods and address health concerns.
Company officials expressed a very positive attitude in taking necessary
emergency abatement actions. .
A second major spill occurred on the Rapidan River concurrently with
the spill at Manassas. This spill was discovered 23 hours after it occurred.
Colonial Pipeline Company immediately divided available resources and called
in additional personnel to aid in the second spill activities and to aid in the
second spill response. Both spills together created a major concern for pro-
tection of drinking water supplies.
By the end of the second day of the Manassas spill, booms were in
place at 6 locations along a 10 mile area of Bull Run Creek. This included
the stretch to the Bull Run Marina. Removal actions, already underway
collected approximately 35,000 gallons of kerosene. After restoring the
ruptured pipelJBE to service an underflow dam was constructed in a tribu-
tary of Bull Run. This dam restricted the flow and eased collection of
kerosene at this point. However, large amounts of kerosene were still being
flushed from the break point, through the tributary and into Bull Run.
Tremendous quantities of kerosene were contained in the booms at Bull Run
Marina.
A National Weather Service forecast of inclement weather posed several
additional problems. It became necessary to remove kerosene rapidly from
- 21 -
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the Marina area as river banks downstream were too inaccessible for removal
activities^ Kerosene escaping from containment booms due to flooding con-
ditions would severely impact the Occoquan Reservoir. The Occoquan Reser-
voir serves 700,000 residents (25%) of suburban Washington, D.C.
Colonial Pipeline Company, gave total commitment of its resources,
but still did not have resources available to deal with pollution incidents
of this magnitude. Photointerpretation of aerial photographs provided by
EPA/EPIC indicated an estimated 300,000 to 500,000 gallons of kerosene con-
tained within booms at Bull Run Marina. The company could not provide
resources to adequately provide protection of drinking water facilities
or protect environmentally sensitive natural habitats of fish, waterfowl
or other wildlife,species. Special treatment techniques were needed to protect
public water supplies, fish and wildlife resources from continuing damage.
After 70 hours the On-Scene Coordinator declared a Federal Removal
Activity in Fredericksburg and Manassas. This action enabled total com-
pany resources to be augmented by resources of the Regional Response Team
under the National Contingency Plan.
b. State and Local Forces
Prince William County Fire and Rescue Service provided initial response
and containment. This included constructing a hay bale dam in the unnamed
tributary to Bull Run, emplacement of a containment boom at the Bull Run
Marina, and providing 24-hour firefighting services. In addition the County
Fire and Rescue Service also established a hot line at the OSC command post
for concerned citizens.
Prince William County Public Works Department provided disposal serv-
ices and landfill facilities. This provided proper disposal of the 105.88 tons
of contaminated material, sorbent and debris generated by cleanup efforts.
- 22 -
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The Commonwealth of Virginia employed the resources of several state
agencies on-scene. The Virginia office of Energy and Emergency Services
provided a direct line from the OSC to the State Governor. The Gover-
nor's declaration of a state of emergency provided the OSC with all
available Commonwealth resources.
Virginia Water Quality Board provided technical assistance and on-
scene supervisory personnel. VA WQB personnel acted as the Governor's
representative on-scene, under the National Contingency Plan. VA WQB
personnel supervised the construction of filter fences, dams, and cleanup
of kerosene in the unnamed tributary to Bull Run. VA WQB personnel worked
with U. S. Fish and Wildlife personnel. VA Commission of Game and Inland
Fisheries personnel assessed environmental impact to wildlife.
Virginia State Health Department personnel provided coordination
between the Occoquan Water Treatment Plant and the OSC. In addition they
also provided key coordination for protection of drinking water supplies.
Fairfax County Water Authority conducted feasibility studies for
assessing ability of the water treatment plant to effectively remove kero-
sene. This system featured powdered activated carbon absorption.
Coordination by state and local forces was of paramount importance
in effectively protecting public drinking water supplies and mitigating
adverse effects on wildlife.
c. Federal Agencies and Special Forces
Six organizational elements within the U. S. Environmental Protection
Agency functioned under the Federal Removal Activity. The OSC and the
RRT Chairman were from the Region III office in Philadelphia. EPA Region
III established a regional public information office on scene. This was
staffed with personnel from the National Public Information Office, EPA
- 23 -
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headquarters on Washington, D.C. The EPA's Environmental Photographic
Interpretation Center in Vint Hill Farms, Virginia, provided aerial photo-
graphy and photointerpretation of this material. This service saved
valuable time locating pockets of contaminants from the ground.
The EPA's Environmental Response Team coordinated all the scientific
support forces and their functions. They organized sampling and stream
profiling and established methodologies. Analytical laboratory support,
was coordinated through EPA's Oil and Hazardous Materials Spill Laboratory
with additional aid from Versar, Inc., and the Occoquan Watershed Monitor-
ing Laboratory sponsored by Virginia Polytechnic Institute.
The United States Coast Guard supported the OSC with repre-
sentatives from COTP Baltimore. COTP arrived on scene shortly before the
OSC and remained on scene to assist the OSC during the mobilization phase.
The Fifth Coast Guard District provided RRT representation, purchasing
support, and 311 Funding contract support at Fifth District Headquarters.
The U. S. Coast Guards Atlantic Strike Team established a command post at
Bull Run Marina and supervised cleanup personnel on a 24 hour a day basis.
AST personnel provided equipment, logistics, and "know how" in directing
the workforce in kerosene containment and removal. AST personnel also
assisted in coordinating the efforts of other Federal Agency personnel
engaged in removal activity.
The United States Army responded with a large detachment of men and
equipment from the Petroleum and Field Services Department of the Army
Quartermaster School in Fort Lee, Virginia. These men, experienced in fuel
and petroleum products supply in the field, had never participated in a
pollution incident response. Their initial assignment included responding
at river's edge with large capacity portable bladder bags to remove kero-
sene from the water. The kerosene was several inches deep in many places
- 24 -
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and the idea here was to remove it from the river and store it in the
bladder bags for future disposal. Due to changes in wind direction, the
kerosene was moved to another location upstream of Bull Run Marina. Since
the onset of Federal Removal Activity, collection efforts at Bull Run Marina
had multiplied until collection capabilities were exhausted. Army personnel
built filter fences at 50 feet intervals along the unnamed tributary to
Bull Run and provided maintainence of sorbent material within. Army per-
sonnel were also utilized to assist U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service, VA Game
Commission, and VA Water Quality Board personnel in removing accessable
dead fish in the affected area.
Three U. S. Navy units responded with manpower and equipment to assist
the Federal cleanup effort. The National Response Team, Department of
Defense Representative from the Navy Environmental Protection Division at
the Pentagon remained on-scene throughout the emergency. His duties
included assisting the OSC in coordination of the DOD response effort and
serving as the NRT representative coordinating other Federal resources.
Navy personnel and equipment from Washington Naval District, Naval Surface
Weapons Command, and Naval Facilities Engineering Command deployed booms in
several locations downstream from Bull Run Marina. These locations included
the Occoquan Reservoir and the Occoquan Water intake. They positioned
medium and large skimmers downstream to provide backup support if efforts
at Bull Run Marina failed. U. S. Navy personnel assisted U. S. Coast Guard
AST in cleanup planning, logistics, and supervision.
The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service provided valuable services to the
OSC to protect the natural environment and impacted wildlife (See 4. h.
Details of Threat Abatement Activities).
- 25 -
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d. Contractor, Private Groups, Volunteers
The Occoquan Watershed Monitoring Laboratory and Versar Laboratories,
Inc. assisted the EPA Environmental Response Team in the coordination of
kerosene analysis stream profiling. Their efforts were critical for the
effective treatment of drinking water supplies.
The Oil and Hazardous Materials Technical Assistance Team from Ecology
& Environment, Inc., functioned as the operations staff for the OSC. They
provided logistical support, documentation photography, technical support
of planning and operations, assisted in evaluating and implementing cleanup
strategies, and monitoring cleanup efforts on scene.
J & L Industries, hired by Colonial Pipeline Company, was the primary
cleanup contractor. J & L provided the bulk of the manpower and equipment .
for containment and removal efforts.
Sea Land Environmental Engineering was hired by the Federal Government
and as the primary Federal contractor provided additional manpower and
equipment.
One particularly noteworthy aspect of the Federal Removal Effort was
the manner in which the National Contingency Plan (40 CFR 1510) was followed.
This Spill is considered to be a textbook example of the utilization of
the National Contingency Plan. All response and support activities func-
tioned in the manner in which they were intended.
The final results of these coordinated cleanup efforts show the success-
ful removal of 257,000 gallons of kerosene vs. 336,000 gallons spilled into
Bull Run. Most important of all, however, is the realization that none of
the 700,000 residents who depend upon these supplies for their daily domes-
tic and drinking water needs were without clean water at any time.
- 26 -
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e. Extent of Contamination Sarvey
Before the Colonial pipeline rupture was brought under control, approximately
330,000 gallons of kerosene were released into the environment. Spill control and
clean-up activities successfully recovered an estimated 200,000 gallons of product.
To determine the extent of contamination from the approximately 130,000 gallons re-
maining, and to suggest recommendations for remedial actions, Woodward-Clyde Con-
sultants, was retained by the U. S. EPA.
Methods employed include visual observation, to determine obvious residual
sheen on the water, and Chromatographic analysis (TLV with Fluorescence) to quantity
kerosene.
Three major areas were examined to determine the extent of contamination.
These include the following:
The break site
Surface soil contamination
-- Subsurface soil contamination
Shoreline contamination
Bottom sediment contamination
1} The Break Site
a. Surface Contamination
Studies show backfill at the breakpoint to be uncontaminated, however,
varying amounts of oil were found below the surface area. Leaching effect and
shallow ground water will probably flush oil into surface drainage where weathering
will promote degredation. Kerosene in swampy areas will flush out and aquatic life
in these areas appear to be recovering.
No further actions except occassional visual inspection are recommended for
this area at this time.
- 27 -
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b. Subsurface Contamination
Due to prevailing geologic conditions, the majority of the spill was re-
stricted to the surface area where the break occurred. Surface drainage carried
product via the unnamed tributary and. into major drainage channels.
No further action is recommended for subsurface areas as little deep subsoil
and groundwater penetration has occurred.
2) Shoreline Contamination
Amounts of kerosene remaining in shorelines are extremely small.Recommendations
for these areas include the following:
a. No action is recommended for shorelines along the unnamed tributary as
residual kerosene will be removed by seasonal flooding conditions.
b. Monitoring is recommended at the area marked Site A (see attached map).
c. Visible sheens at shoreline segments in the area of Bull Run Marina will
i
be asthetically unpleasing. Ecologically, the significance of these sheens is
uncertain. It is recommended that near shore contaminated sediments be removed.
d. No action is recommended at the backwater area north of the Marina but
conditions of vegetation should be monitored.
3) Bottom Sediment Contamination
Characterization of bottom sediments is incomplete at this time. It is,
therefore, recommended that reservoir water quality be monitored to determine
degradation of water quality or ecology.
- 28 -
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ro
i
M-5.6. 7.8
M-4 \ M+28,29.30.31.32.33
M+34.35
-M+36.37
Break
Site
,M-57
M+38,39.40,41,42.43
M+22.23,24.26.27
M-1.2.3 HWY616
HWY 234
SITE A
M-52. 53. 54
HWY 612
M-49. 50
M-44. 45.46. 47.48.51
Occoquan Rivtr
Stndy Pun
Approximate Scale
(mile?)
Figure 5. TLC SAMPLE LOCATION
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SECTION 6
PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED
-------
SECTION 6 -- PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED
a. Problems Encountered
1) As explained in Section 5a, Colonial Pipeline Company even with
a total commitment of its resources, did not have the necessary resources,
or personnel available to effectively deal with a pollution incident of
this magnitude, (i.e., protection of the public drinking water supply,
protection of public health and safety, protection of wildlife and envi-
ronmentally sensitive areas, and dealing positively with the press, media,
and public.)
The ruptured pipeline was aggressively repaired and operational within
a short period of time. Equipment to construct an underflow dam to contain
the kerosene in the unnamed tributary of Bull Run was not a company priority.
This resulted in additional product escaping into the main stream of Bull
Run. Additionally, Colonial did not give the OSC adequate assurances that
kerosene would be removed from the existing booms at Bull Run Marina in a
timely fashion. Also the company could not provide additional back-up
booms that would be placed in the Occoquan Reservoir if the kerosene
escaped the last containment at Bull Run Marina. The OSC decided that
additional resources were needed to augment company resources on-scene
immediately to protect public drinking water. A Federal Removal activity
was declared 70 hours after the initial report of the spill incident.
2) POLREPS were not transmitted to appropriate organizations on a
timely basis due to insufficient administrative support available to the
Regional Response Center, EPA Region III. It is recommended that either
appropriate administrative support be provided to the EPA Region III
Regional Response Center during emergency situations or administrative
resources for dissemination of POLREPS be provided by USCG through memo-
rendum of understanding (MOU).
- 30 -
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3) The OSC requested the presence of a contracting officer from the
Coast Guard 5th District Headquarters. This request was turned down,
despite contractural problems on-scene. A mechanism should be available
to the OSC to provide contracting support from respective Coast Guard
Districts or provision for immediate contracting support from EPA.
4) Laboratory analysis of kerosene dissolved in the water column
initially proved unreliable. It took one week to provide the first accu-
rate data. The initial method utilized was fluorescence spectrophotometry.
If this worked, it would have provided easy and rapid test results. This
technique apparently was not thoroughly tested and accurate data under field
conditions was not obtainable. Analytical methods were changed to utilize
gas chromatography with solvent extraction. This yielded accurate and con-
sistent test results. Recommendations here would be to test new techniques
under actual or simulated field conditions to establish a reliability fac-
tor prior to an emergency.
- 31 -
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SECTION 7
RECOMMENDATIONS
-------
SECTION 7 RECOMMENDATIONS
a. Prevention of Recurrences of This Incident
1) Throughout the emergency, there was a significant amount of public
concern for the fact that the pipeline ruptured and caused the
largest inland oil (kerosene) spill in Virginia history. This con-
cern also included some question as to the integrity of the pipeline
and its compliance with pipeline safety regulations. In reviewing
the reports submitted by both Colonial Pipeline Co. and Department of
Transportation Office of Pipeline Safety, it appears (though it is not
specifically stated) that the pipeline had met all the performance
criteria for compliance with safety regulations. The pipeline rup-
tured at a pressure which was below hydrostatic test pressure conducted
in 1963. A degree of external corrosion evident in the ruptured pipe
section was one contributing cause of the failure. A second major
contributing factor in this rupture was an error in human judgement
made by the controller. A recommendation by the NRT through the DOT
representative could state that the DOT Office of Pipeline Safety
review appropriate safety regulations for pipelines in service and
include .provisions for periodic testing and recertification.
2) The seriousness of this incident was highlighted by the fact that the
Fairfax County Water Authority did not have alternate raw or finished
water supplies. This is one example of the potential effects of nat-
ural and manmade disasters impacting public drinking water supplies.
Appropriate agencies and program elements should pre-plan alternate
or emergency drinking water resources for municipal drinking water
supplies.
- 32 -
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b. Improvement of .Response Actions
1) The U. S.,Coast Guard Atlantic Strike Team is a highly skilled and
professional organization which has again proven itself to be an
invaluable asset to the OSC. The U. S. Coast Guard should consider
additional training for strike force personnel to more effectively
assist EPA on-scene coordinators in dealing with threats to public
safety and health, protection of public drinking water supplies, pro-
tection of a natural wildlife, and related response activities. The
Coast Guard could provide this training in-house, EPA could provide
instructors for inland spills response to the Coast Guard, or EPA
could provide this training in-house with attendance by Strike Team
personnel encouraged.
2) Contract support on-scene during a Federal Removal Activity should
be given a high priority. There are no clear guidelines for EPA,
OSC's to follow in managing non-BOA type contracts. It is recommended
that EPA develop a stream-lined emergency contracting procedure for
EPA OSC's to follow.
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SECTION 8
INITIAL SPILL REPORT AND ELEMENTS OF CIVIL PENALTY
-------
UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
' . I '
' . REGION III j.
. 6TH AND WALNUT STREETS
PHILADELPHIA. PENNSYLVANIA 19106
October 9, 1980
Commander (mep)
5th CG District < .
431.Crawford Street"
Portsmouth, VA 23705
Re: EPA Case No. VA-80-040
Fed. Project No. 05-100-108-80
Gentlemen:
Enclosed for your information is an EPA letter response from Colonial
Pipeline Company concerning a spill of approximately 326,000 gallons
of Kerosene into an unnamed tributary of Bull Run, near Manassas in
Prince William County, VA. Bull Run is a tributary of Occoquan River
which flows into the Potomac River and Chespeake Bay, a^navigable
water of the Uni ted States.
This spill caused a visible film and sheen upon the surface of Bull Run,
a harmful quantity of oil as defined by 40 CFR 110.3. The incident was
a violation of section 311 (b) (3) of the Federal Water Pollution Control
Act.
It-is recommended that civil penalty action pursuant to Section 311 (b) (6)
of the FWPCA be considered in this case.
Federal Removal Activity was declared in this incident. A complete On Scene
Coordinators report will be submitted by me in the near future. If there
are any questionsj or if we can provide additional assistance, please call
me at (215) S97-9898/
Sincerely,
las I. Massey
"On Scene - Coprdi nator
Enclosure (
cc:, Office of Water .Enforcement
Enforcement;Division (EN338)
- 34 -
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hhb - I
(0,HM)
(N,T)
Received
Reported
.J//o;
uase f_
SPCC #
INCOMING SPILL REPORT
By: Phil Retailick Date: 6MAR80
Time: 1650Hpurs
By:
Nr. Lowe
Organization: Prince William Co. Fire Dept. Phone: 703-368-0800
Address: Prince William County, Virginia
Spiller
Location
Spill Data
Name: Colonial Pipeline
. 301-795-1390
Address:
Locality: Sudley Road
AdSress: Sudley Manor Drive, Manassas
County: Prince William County
State: Virginia
Stream (Nearest):
Bull Run 1/2 mile away
Date:
6MAR80
Time: 1610 Hours
Material:
No. 2 Oil
Source: Pipeline^
Cause: Rupture
Total Spilled:90,OOP Gal. In Stream: Not Yet Escaping:
Countermeasures Containment:
Clean-up:
ENF:
^Notification
(Name, f, Date,
Time) Front Off:.
OTS:
A&H:
Pub. Aff:
Field Off:
USCG:.
WS8:
State/Local:_
Other:
HQ's:
Basin Comm:_
Comments (reverse)
Regions:.
S&A:
-------
'.'J S UlNl i iU S I A I C,5 C.iNV tr.\JiN;Vi t;N i A^. »~rtVJ I S.U 1 IVJiN AlvSC.:'
".*'-
^ REGION 111
CTM AND WALNUT STREETS
PHILADELPHIA. PENNSYLVANIA 1910S
Colonial Pipeline Corp. Certified No. /t^no/n
3390 Peachtree Rd. NE «70847
Atlanta, GA 30326 May 2, 1980
_ . VA-80-040, 3-6-80, Manassas, VA
This office has received notification chat your facility discharged
oil or hazardous materials in hamful quancities ia violauion of
Section 311 C^) (35 of the Federal Water Pollucion Control Act Aaend-
seacs of 1S72, 33 U.S.C. 1321 (b) (3) as referenced above. Zau are
herafay requested to subnit to 2?A the following information:
(a) Ti=e and date of discharge; March 6. 1980 @ 3:56 p.m. EST
Co) Material (s) discharged; Domestic aviation grade kerosine
(c) Description of the vehicle or facility from which the
material vas discharged (i.e., pipeline, tank, veil, etc.):
(d) Na=a and address of the owner/ooerator of the vehicle or -
facility described above in (c) :
Colonial Pipeline Conroanv
3390 Peachtree Road N.E. _ ' . _ ^
Atlanta GA 30326 _ _ _
(e) Na=a and address of the operator of the vehicle or facility
described above in (c) and, if different fron (d) above,
describe the relationship between the owner and operator
(i.e., esployee, subcontractor, lessee, etc.):
Same as above
-------
(f) Location of the discharge, including county and state:
Near Manassas in Prince William County, Virginia.
Pipeline crossing of State Highway 234.
(g) Quantity of material discharged froa the facility or vehicle.
336,000 gals.
(a) Did the caterial reach any water or sewer (Yes or No): Yes
(1) If Yes, describe the firsc. water reacLad and the loca-
tion OI this water I An unnamed tributary. The tributary
crosses Highway 254 North of Manassas and South of 1-66.
(2) State the quantity of aatarial reaching the water
described above in 00 CD : 98% or 329,000 gals.
(3) State the quantity of oaterial reaching the shoreline of
the water described above in (1) which did not reach the
water ;"" ' 2% or 7.000 gals. ; .
(4) Wiis. the water described above in 00 (1) , at the time of
thfe spill, a tributary of, or physically connected eo,
any parr or tributary of a riverine, hydrologies! or creek
syscaa? (Yes or No) ; y^E _ .
(5) If the answer to (4) is Tes, describe or oane the water-
ways to which the waters in (a) (1) connect or flow:
Unnamed tributary » Bull Run -» Occoquan River _
(6) If the answer to (4) is So, does the water described above
in (a)(1) periodically connect with or flow into any
tributary or part of any riverine, hydrological or creek
systen? If Yes, describe the flow and connection:
-37-
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(i) Did Che material causa any fila, sheen, discoloration or
irridescenr. appearance on the adjoining shorelines of, or
surface of, any water described above in (3), (4), (5), or
(6)? If Yeu, describe; Yes . Heavy film of kerosine on the :
unnamed tributary rmr\ Riill Run to the pnint n-F -Final rnntaimnpn^
and removal at the Occoquan Marina.
(j) Did the material cause any sludge or emulsion to be deposited
on the adjoining shorelines of, or beneath the surface of,
the waters described above in (3) , (4) , (5) , or (6) ? If Yes ,
describe; None knowiv __ , _ _- _
GO Did the discharge violate any applicable water quality standards,
e.g., HPDES or State Standards? If Yes, describe: Yes. State
and federal oil spill regulations.
(1) Date aryj cime oz discovery that the discharge was reaching the
waterway; 5/6/80 @ 4:00 p.m. __ . _ _
(m) Describe in detail what actually caused the discharge: Pipe
failure in a 52" pipeline. See attached description. .
(n) Describe any observed damage to animal, life or vegetation:
Vegetation dead in the pipeline failure area. Animal and fish
kill reported by agents of the state and federal authorities.
(a) Describe steps taken to contain and clean up the spilled ,
material and mitigate environmental daaage: Extensive efforts by
Colonial and its contractors successfully contained and recovered the spilled o
:h only minor assistance from the US Coast Guard and other agencies.
(p) List the federal and state agencies, if any, to which the owner
or operator reported the discharge. Show the agency, its loca-
tion, the date and tista of notification of the official con-
tacted :. 3/6/80 between 4-6 P.M. - Va. Water Quality, US DOT, _
U.S. Coast Guard and U. S. EPA. _ . _ .
(q) List the State and local officials "ho were on scene at the
spill during or after cleanup:. Estimated to be over 100 -- too
t.n 1 i
-------
(c) Describe action taken or proposed Co prevent a recurrence
of this type of spill. System being operated at a lower rate until
a detailed analysis of the pipe failure is received, any needed system revisions will
(u) Does the facility have'a Spill Prevention Control and then be made.
Counterneasures (SPCC) Plan certified and implemented in
accordance with 40 CTH 112? None. Transportation related
cross country* pipeline.
(v) List any other information you wish to bring to the attention
of the federal government: Colonial successfully contained and removed
the oil from the Bull Run and continues to monitor the oil spill area to date.
257,460 gals. o± kerosine.were recovered and returned to the pipeline.
The above information should be mailed to:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
S.egion HI
Environmental Emergency Branch (3SA30)
Sixth & Walnut.Streets
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106
If your company cannot answer this letter by May 17,1980 or ^
there are any questions on this matter, you may call John Harsch at
215-597-9898.
Sincerely yours,
Jeffrey-W. Mass,"Acting Chief
Environmental Emerger-cy Branch
Yhereby certify the above to be true
and accurate to the best of my .knowledge.
_-JQ_
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SECTION 9
POLREPS, PHOTOGRAPHS, NEWSARTICLES
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POLREP 1 - MAJOR POLLUTION INCIDENT
COLONIAL PIPELINE CO., BULL RUN, MANASSAS, VA.
FED PROJECT NO. 05-100-108-80
1. SITUATION (0300 HR.) 3/7/80
a. Colonial Pipeline reported oil spill from 32-inch pipeline,
Prince William County, Virginia near Manassas (Route 234
0.5 mile south of 1-66).
b. OSC on scene 2330 hrs., March 6. MSO Bait, personnel on scene 2100 hrs.
c. Company officials preliminary estimate approximately 250,000 gallons
of product (kerosene) lost from pipeline.
d. Kerosene reached unnamed trib of Bull Run and is now approximately
4 miles downstream.
e. Booms placed 7 miles downstream.
f. Drinking water intake located approximately 10.5 miles downstream from
break (Fairfax County Water Authority).
2. ACTION TAKEN
a. OSC requested Colonial Pipeline Company to take all necessary
containment actions to mitigate spill incident.
b. Virginia Water Control Board on scene to aid in state actions and
coordinate drinking water sampling.
c. OSC advised on scene personnel that kerosene highly toxic and has
potential for mixing in water column.
d. OSC cordinating with Virginia WCB to assure all safety precautions
are taken to safeguard public drinking water quickly.
e. OSC request Atlantic Strike Force on scene ASAP.
f. OSC request MSO Bait, personnel (Lt. Mickles) to remain on scene
until further notice.
3. FUTURE PLAN
a. Helicopter overflight to be made by on scene personnel.
b. Additional booms and other containments to be constructed at daylight.
c. Drinking water personnel to meet on scene to determine worst case
condition.
d. OSC to convene RRT as soon as practicable .
Tom Massey, OSC
Manassas, Va.
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POLREP 2 - MAJOR POLLUTION INCIDENT
COLONIAL PIPELINE CO., BULL RUN, MANASSAS, VA.
FED PROJECT NO. 05-100-103-80
1. SITUATION (2200 MRS.) 3/7/80
a. OSC considers drinking water quality a major concern.
b. RRT convenes on-site (see POLREP 3).
c. Colonial Pipeline revises spill estimate, reduced from
250,000 gallons to 170,000 gallons (4000 bis).
d. If any kerosene reaches drinking water intake servicing
660,000 people in Occoquan Reservoir it will take 2-3 days, according
to estimates by Henry Gay, Fairfax County Water Authority.
e. After initial 24 hrs. leading edge of kerosene located nine miles
downstream in Bull Run.
f. Booms placed at six locations over ten miles of stream.
g. Product is aviation crude kerosene, S.G. approcimately seven-tenths,
drinking water toxicity standard is 180 PPB. Ignition requires heating
to 130 degrees F and application of flame.
h. EPA Emergency Response Team and EPA Oil and Special Materials
control division personnel providing on-scene support. U.S. Coast
Guard Atlantic Strike Team on scene at 1300 hrs.
2. FUTURE PLANS (See POLREP 3).
Tom Massey, OSC
Manassas, Va.
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POLREP 3- MAJOR POLLUTION INCIDENT
COLONIAL PIPELINE COMPANY, BULL RUN, MANASSAS, VA.
FED PROJECT NO. 05-100-108-80:
1. SITUATION
a. Regional Response Team (RRT) convened on-scene (1900 hrs.) 3/7/80
b. Members present:
Jeffrey Mass, EPA Region III, RRT Chairman
Tom Massey, EPA Region III, OSC
Mordecai Bennett, Corps of Engineers, Baltimore
John Dietrick, U.S. Food and Drug Administrainion
Carney Moran, Federal Emergency Management Agency
Domenick Ciccone, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Robert King, National Transportation Safety Board
Norman Mctague, Virginia Office of Emergency and Energy Service
Ray Boles, Virginia State Water Conteal .Ssard
John Capito, Virginia State Health Department
Henry Gay, Fairfax County Water Authority
Dr. Robert Dean, Prince William County Health Department
Thomas Grizzard, Occoquan Watershed Monitoring Laboratory
Jim Sorrow, Colonial Pipeline Company
c. Tom Massey, OSC, briefed members of present situation and proposed
plans. OSC required that Colonial Pipeline present an aggressive
containment and removal plan*. Colonial Pipeline continues to take
full responsibility for cleanup and costs incurred.
d. RRT advised OSC of the following plans:
*
1. State of Virginia Department of Health to coordinate with
Virginia Office of Emergency and Energy Services on emergency
action if worst case scenario develops.
2. Fire danger assessment shows minimal chance of explosion or fire
on Bull Run. No security will be necessary.
3. RRT Chairman, Jeffrey Hass, directed all press releases to
go through on-scene press officer.
4. Sampling program for drinking water quality to be coordinated
between EPA, Occcquan Watershed Monitoring Laboratory, and Colonial
Pipeline Company. EPA, Virginia State Water Control Board, and
Colonial P-L to investigate local laboratories for quick GC analysis.
5. U. S. Fish and Wildlife concerned about Bull Run and Vletlands below
Occoquan. Large fish kill anticipated in Bull Run over next two
to three days. Nesting btald eagles and other wildlife to be
monitored by Ftsh and Wildlife personnel.
6. Fairfax County Water Authority to initiate treatability study
using activated carbon. Good capability for kerosene treatment
exists at Occoquan Water Supply.
Jeffrey Hass, RRT Chairman
Manassas, Va.
-~42 -
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POLREP 4 - MAJOR POLLUTION INCIDENT, KEROSENE SPILL
COLONIAL PIPELINE COMPANY, BULL RUN, MANASSAS, VA.
FED PROJECT NO. 05-100-108-80
1. SITUATION (2015 HR.) 3/7/80
a. Drinking water quality in Occoquan Reservoir still a concern.
b. Ken Biglane, EPA National Response Team Chairman and Russ Wyer,
EPA Headquarters, on-scene for briefing and helicopter over-
flight. Warm weather and dry. Upstream wind in Bull Run has trapped
oil pools in river bends for three miles above Bull Run Marina, nine miles
downstream of source. No visible kerosene has reached Bull Run Marina.
c. Virginia Game Warden reported several beavers and ducks in Bull Run being
impacted by oil, necessitating the relocation of some animals.
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service concerned about exotic fish species
below Bull Run Marina, as well as other wildlife in impacted area.
d. Colonial Pipeline continues to take all clean-up responsibilities.
Containment is presently adequate. Total kerosene recovered to
date is approx. 35,000 gallons pure product, according to Colonial Pipeline.
2. ACTIONS TAKEN
a. Five sampling points have been established in the Bull Run-Occoquan River
area to monitor water quality. First sample set is being analyzed.
b. Helicopter support again contracted for aerial surveillance to oversee
clean-up operations and river conditions.
c. Aerial photos supplied to EPA Photographic Interpretation Center in
Warrenton, Va., show locations of greatest oil concentrations.
3. FUTURE PLANS
a. Corps, of Engineer representatives to be consulted concerning gaining access
to pooled kerosene above the Bull Run Marina. Colonial Pipeline personnel
to assess the possibilities of improving access at scene site.
b. U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Virginia State Game Dept. to conduct
wildlife survey of impacted area by canoe on March 9*-Hastening operations
and other emergency measures to protect wildlife to be investigated by
Fish and Wildlife Services.
c. Virginia Water Pollution Control Board to survey Bull Run-Occoquan area to
ascertain magnitude of fish kill.
d. Overflight photos and helicopter observations to continue.
e. Wind direction and rainfall will dictate any changes in containment operations.
Tom Massey, OSC
Manassas, -VA
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POLREP 5 - MAJOR POLLUTION INCIDENT, KEROSENE SPILL
COLONIAL PIPELINE COMPANY, BULL RUN, MANASSAS, VA.
FED PROJECT NO. 05-100-108-80
1. SITUATION (1800 HR.) 3/9/80
a. Potential still exists for disruption of Occoquan Reservoir Water
Supply. 450 barrels of kerosene removed from pooled area on
Bull Run last night for total of approximately 60,000 gallons
recovered to date, as reported by Colonial Pipeline.
b. Due to change in wind direction (now downstream), oil escaping
pooled areas upstream of Bull Run Marina. Oil passing Marina
forming a sheen at boom 1/4 mile downstream.
c. State Fish & Game and U. S. Fish and Wildlife reports fish kill
of approximately 25,000, concentrated in 3-mile area upstream of
Bull Run Marina. Two stressed beavers were relocated and one
dead beaver found. Three dead mallards also found.
d. Quantity reaching Occoquan River & Occoquan Reservoir not known.
Sample analysis of hydrocarbon content not yet determined.
e. Colonial Pipeline has completed repairs at line break located
adjacent to Rt. 234, 1/2 mile south of Rt. 66 in Manassas.
f. Still major concern over wildlife impact, especially downstream
of Bull Run Marina.
g. Presently about 100 private cleanup contractor personnel on scene.
Booms located between spill site and Bull Run Marina.
h. No work or activity performed at heavy pooled area near confluence
of unnamed tributary and Bull Run.
2. ACTIONS TAKEN
a. Due to Colonial Pipeline's limited resources available on scene,
OSC declared a Federal Removal action at 1430 hrs., 3/9, to
provide necessary actions to mitigate pollution incident.
b. OSC requests additional support from US Army, Fort Lee, US Navy,
Navy Yard, Washington, D.C. and Richmond, Va. and
USCG Strike Team, Elizabeth City, NC. Will provide additional
expertise, vehicles, and cleanup equipment.
<5. OSC requires priority cleanup to contain pooled oil located at
confluence of unnamed tributary and Bull Run as soon as possible.
d. OSC requests additional EPA-ERT support from Edison, N.J..
3. FUTURE PLANS
a. Federal assistance will supplement present efforts of Colonial
Pipeline, Navy, US Army, and additional USCG support to arrive
on scene early 3/10. Additional private contractor, Sealand,
to arrive early 3/10.
- 44 -
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POLREP 5 - MAJOR POLLUTION INCIDENT, KEROSENE SPILL
COLONIAL PIPELINE COMPANY, BULL RUN, MANASSAS, VA.
FED PROJECT NO. 05-100-108-80
b. EPA aerial photography to continue. EPA lab equipment to arrive
on-scene, 3/10, for sample analysis. EPA Annapolis Lab, to be
on standby.'.
c. Va. Water Control Board to continue estimate of fish kill.
US Fish & Wildlife Service, with aid of Army personnel, will
remove dead fish and other affected wildlife.
Tom Massey, OSC
Manassas, Va.
- 45 -
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POLREP 6 - MAJOR POLLUTION INCIDENT, KEROSENE SPILL
COLONIAL PIPELINE COMPANY, BULL RUN, MANASSAS, VA.
FED PROJECT NO. 05-100-1C8-80
1. SITUATION [1800 HR.) 3/10/80
a. Majority of pumping efforts continue at Bull Run Marina with Federal
& private equipment & personnel. Two smaller sump pump sites
located upstream of Bull Run Marina.
b. Sheen has appeared at second boom in Bull Run below Bull Run
Marina. Sorbent boom has been placed below the Marina.
c. Early morning overflight shows cleanup efforts yielded approx.
50% reduction in quantity of pooled kerosene in 3 mile stretch
above Bull Run Marina since previous day.
d. US Fish & Wildlife survey shows minimum number of affected
waterfowl. Propane cannons being transported to Bull Run Marina
in case migratory waterfowl population increases. Total of
six oiled beavers picked up, only one survived.
e. Army & Navy personnel arrived on scene during early morning,
3/10. Seal and cleanup contractor also on scene.
f. Colonial Pipeline reports a total of 116,000 gallons pure
kerosene recovered as of 1230, 3/10.
2. ACTIONS TAKEN
a. RRT mtg. held at 1415, 3/10. OSC requests 5th CG District ASAP.
b. State Health Dept. Rep gave results of threshold odor test done
on Occoquan River samples. Preliminary results show kerosene
odor detected in 2 of 6 samples tested. Treatability studies
also done using powdered activated carbon. Still concern over
public water supply.
c. RRT recommended that State Health Dept. consider a 60 day fishing
ban in Occoquan Reservoir.
d. Army personnel and cleanup contractors placing filter fences
every fifty feet in unnamed tributary. Containment and removal
actions proceeding at confluence of unnamed tributaries required
by OSC.
e. Dr. Joseph Lafornara, EPA ERT member, outlined sampling program
in Occoquan River area. Cited 100 ppb as kerosene odor threshold,
as well as action level. Presence of kerosene, rather than
particular hydrocarbon components, will be pursued, using
spectrofluorimeter.
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POLREP 6 - MAJOR POLLUTION INCIDENT, KEROSENE SPILL
COLONIAL PIPELINE COMPANY, BULL RUN, MANASSAS, VA,
FED PROJECT NO. 05-100-106-30
3. FUTURE PLANS
a. OSC to develop accurate estimate of recovered product through
actual federal resources.
b. Pumping site to be established at confluence of unnamed tributary
and Bull Run, with construction of dam there.
c. Sorbent Navy booms to be placed in Occoquan Reservoir. Sorbent
booms also to be placed around water intakes.
d. State Water Control Board to collect healthy sport fish in
Occoquan Reservoir. Will be analyzed by US Food & Drug Adminis.
for hydrocarbon content. Results to be forwarded to State
Health Dept. to assist in fishing ban decision.
Tom Massey, OSC
Manassas, Va.
-.47 -
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POLREP 7 - MAJOR POLLUTION INCIDENT, KEROSENE SPILL
COLONIAL PIPELINE COMPANY, BULL RUN, MANASSAS, VA.
FED PROJECT NO. 05-100-108-80
1. SITUATION (1800 HR.) 3/11/80
a. Still concerned over potential contamination of Occoquan Reservoir
a major drinking water source. Fairfax County Water Authority
odor tests detect leading edge of kerosene in water column
approx. 7 miles from raw water intake at south end of Occoquan
Reservoir. Kerosene concentration not yet known.
b. Bull Run Marina remains primary recovery site. Contained oil
slick at Marina covers approx. nine surface acres, according to
EPA Vint-Hill aerial photo interpretations. Small quantity
of oil has been removed from secondary containment booms 1/2
mile below Marina.
c. Wild life damage today, as reported by Fish & Wildlife Repre-
sentatives: 7 beavers, 2 distressed, 5 dead. Also, 10 water-
fowl, 7 dead, 3 alive. Propane cannons are operating, may be
discontinued due to several resident complaints about noise.
VWCB estimate of fish kill remains at 5,000.
d. Over 30 filter fences in unnamed tributary are effective.
Additional Army manpower required to herd oil pools and remove
saturated sorbent.
e. Latest aerial photos from EPA, Vint Hill, show small kerosene
pools remain in coves and hugging shorelines. Vint Hill Photo
Interpreter is assisting cleanup personnel in identifying
residual areas of kerosene.
2. ACTIONS TAKEN
a. Recovery operations at Bull Run Marina are intensifying to ensure
kerosene is removed ASAP. Several booms above Marina being
removed to push oil out of upper reaches, to be secured and
removed at Marina. Dake skimmers and pump are operating 24 hrs,
per day at marina. Additional secondary containments are being
located at Fountainhead Marina and Sandy Point in Occoquan
Reservoir. Equipment at each site includes 1000 foot Navy boom,
skimmer, and inflatable barge.
b. Changing wind direction is pushing dead fish to bottom of Bull
Run. Dead fish pickup by Army & Fish & Wildlife personnel will
be temporarily suspended.
c. Local and State of Virginia Air Quality officials give approval
to incinerate oil-soaked debris at Prince William County Landfill.
Federal EPA approval must be granted before project can begin.
- 48 -
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POLREP 7 - MAJOR POLLUTION INCIDENT, KEROSENE SPILL
COLONIAL PIPELINE COMPANY, BULL RUN, MANASSAS VA.
FED PROJECT NO. 05-100-106-80
d. VWCB and US Fish & Wildlife Service is coordinating Federal and
State preliminary damage assessment of Occoquan Watershed area.
3. FUTURE PLANS
a. Fairfax County Water Authority to begin 10 ppm application of
powdered activated carbon at Fairfax County Water Treatment
Plant located at south end of Occoquan Reservoir to ensure
system is functioning properly.
b. Sampling and analysis efforts to determine if threat to water
supply exists will continue utilizing local, state & federal
lab equipment and personnel.
c. Prince William County Fire and Rescue Services to coordinate
all calls from local citizens regarding wildlife damage with
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Prince William County Dept. of
Emergency Services and Prince Wm. Co. Public Works Dept. to co-
ordinate disposal of contaminated debris at Prince Wm. Co. Landfill
Tom Massey, OSC
Manassas, Va.
- 49 -
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POLREP 8 - MAJOR POLLUTION INCIDENT, KEROSENE SPILL
COLONIAL PIPELINE COMPANY, BULL RUN, MANASSAS, VA
FED PROJECT NO. 05-100-103-80
1. SITUATION (1800 HR.) 3/12/80
a. Va. Governor declares State of Emergency, Manassas, VA. Gov's Rep
on scene reports no complaints from state concerning present response
operation.
b. Latest odor analysis of Occoquan Reservoir shows leading edge of
kerosene in water column has reached a point approx. 6 miles from
water intake at Fairfax County Treatment Plant. Treatability studies
using power activated carbon indicate all contaminated reservoir sam-
ples can be reduced to below harmful kerosene levels in drinking water
using PAC treatment capabilities already available.
c. Navy booms have been deployed at Fountainhead and Sandy Point in
Occoquan Reservoir as precautionary measure.
d. Helicopter overflight at 1200, 3/12, indicates surface slick area
at Bull Run Marina has been reduced to approx. 4 acres in size. As
of 1800, 3/12, approx. 149,000 gals, of oil/water have been removed
from spill site downstream to Bull Run Marina.
e. 2 additional beavers have been found dead plus 2 muskrats. Wildlife
officials indicate fur bearing animals most heavily impacted by spill.
Death toll to date:. 9 beaver, 2 muskrats and 26 waterfowl.
2. ACTIONS TAKEN
a. OSC requests that 311 (k) fund ceiling be increased to $100,000.
b. Construction of dams at confluence of unnamed tributary and Bull Run
continues. Any significant quantities of kerosene appearing behind
dam to be removed.
c. Likelihood of heavy rain/snow in next 3:6 hrs. prompting consideration
of using large 3001 Navy skimmer as part of Occoquan Reservoir Con-
tingency Plan. Possible launch sites in Reservoir area being investi-
gated. Launch by helicopter ruled out. By end of 3/12, use of 3001
skimmer determined not feasible.
3. FUTURE ACTIONS
a. Recovery of small amount of remaining kerosene to continue at Bull Run
Marina. Cleanup in unnamed tributary continues, with state WCB rep.
organizing cleanup priorities from spill site down to dam at confluence
of Bull Run.
b. Funds needed to provide supplies at private wildlife rehab, center.
- 50 -
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POLREP 8 - MAJOR POLLUTION INCIDENT, KEROSENE SPILL
COLONIAL PIPELINE COMPANY, BULL RUN, MANASSAS, VA.
FED PROJECT NO. 05^-100-108-80
Dead beavers being transported to National Zoo for necropsy.
Tom Massey, OSC
Manassas, Va.
- 51 -
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POLREP 9 - MAJOR POLLUTION INCIDENT, KEROSENE SPILL
COLONIAL PIPELINE COMPANY, BULL RUN, MANASSAS, VA.
FED PROJECT NO. 05-100-108-80
1. SITUATION (1800 HR.) 3/13/80
a. Area of boomed oil reduced to approx. 150 feet x 50 feet on surface
at Bull Run Marina. Approx. 200 gallons of product remaining at
Marina. Several small pools herded downstream to recovery site.
b. Tank soundings by USCG personnel at Colonial Pipeline indicate
approx. 200,000 gallons product recovered as of 1800, 3/13.
Recovered product to be chemically treated to enhance water
separation. OSC requires Colonial to recalculate estimate of
material spilled and report to OSC ASAP.
c. Unofficial count of 400 dead fish in unnamed tributary,in addition
to 5,000 previously reported in Bull Run. Northern Va. Park
Authority on alert to report any fish kills to Va. WCB.
d. Helicopter overflights grounded due to poor visibility and icy
conditions.
2. ACTIONS TAKEN
a. Dam completed at confluence of Bull Run and unnamed tributary.
Four large filter fences positioned just above dam. Debris removed
from west side of Rt. 234 to free trapped residual oil. Army personnel
continue assistance in cleanup of unnamed tributary.
b. Oily debris and saturated sorbents being transported to Prince Wm.
County Landfill. Burning has begun with approval from all
Local, State and Federal Authorities.
c. Analysis of water samples taken at 5 sampling locations from
water intake and upstream in Occoquan Reservoir not yet available.
Samples taken at depths of 0, 2, 10, 20 feet and bottom. EPA
testing being performed in cooperation with Occoquan Watershed
Monitoring Lab.
d. Dept. of Trans. Rep indicates pipeline break being investigated
by Office of Operations and Enforcement. No conclusion yet.
e. Mtg. between OSC and Local and State agencies to discuss shift
of responsibility for supervision of final cleanup from Federal
to State and Local agencies.
- FUTURE PLANS
J
a. Once all oil has been removed at Bull Run Marina several USCG
and Navy booms will be removed from Occoquan Reservoir.
Will remain on 24 hr alert until all sheens removed from Bull Run.
River inspections continue to locate trapped oil in river bends.
b. Prince Wm. County Fire and Rescue Service to be contact point
between citizens with property damage and Colonial.
- 52 -
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POLREP 9 - MAJOR POLLUTION INCIDENT, KEROSENE SPILL
COLONIAL PIPELINE COMPANY, BULL RUN, MANASSAS, VA.
FED PROJECT NO. 05-100-108-80
c. OSC indicates operation will not be phased out if any question of
public health threat remains.
d. Sampling analyses to reveal latest location of kerosene in
water column in Occoquan Reservoir.
Tom Massey, OSC
Manassas, Va.
- 53 -
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POLREP 10 - MAJOR POLLUTION INCIDENT, KEROSENE SPILL
COLONIAL PIPELINE COMPANY, BULL RUN, MANASSAS, VA.
FED PROJECT NO. 05-100-103-80
1. SITUATION (2030 MRS.)3/14/80
a. Runoff from storm of 3/13/80 causing high water conditions.
b. Approx. 50 gallons of product presently entrapped at Bull Run
Marina collection point.
c. Oil sheen escaping from booms at Bull Run Marina being contained
at collection points further downstream.
d. Large amounts of debris being washed into Bull Run due to storm.
e. Dam at confluence of unnamed tributary and Bull Run maintaining
its integrity.
f. Colonial personnel reporting 265,547 gallons of oil/water mixture
collected as of 3/14/80. OSC still recognizing USCG value of
200,000 gallons product recovered as of 3/13/80.
2. ACTIONS TAKEN
a. .Scientific Committee recommends Fairfax County Water Treatment
Plant begin 25 ppm application of powdered carbon to ensure
protection against possible kerosene contamination of raw water
supply.
b. Joint sampling effort between EPA personnel and Versar Inc.
begun on 3/14.
c. Water samples taken of influent and effluent flows at Fairfax
County Water Treatment Plant. Samples flown to EPA Lab, Edison,
N.J. for analysis of kerosene content.
d. Sorbent boom placed above and below Bull Run Marina to increase
capture of oil sheen.
e. Work crews dispatched to remove debris caught in booms.
f. 3,000 gallons of oil/water removed from collection point at dam
located at confluence of unnamed tributary and Bull Run.
g. Interceptor trench being constructed east side of Rt. 234 to
provide collection of oil still remaining in ground downslope
of pipe break.
h. 13,000 pds. of oil soaked absorbent and debris incinerated on
3/13 at Prince Wm. County Landfill.
- 54 -
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POLREP 10 - MAJOR POLLUTION INCIDENT, KEROSENE SPILL
COLONIAL PIPELINE COMPANY, BULL RUN, MANASSAS, VA.
FED PROJECT NO. 05-100-108-60.
3. FUTURE PLANS
a. Continue sampling and analysis program at and upstream of Fairfax
Co. Water Treatment Plant.
b. Begin phase out of Coast Guard, Army and Navy personnel.
c. State and Local officials begin transition phase towards taking
over management of final cleanup operations.
d. Occoquan Watershed Monitoring Lab to investigate feasibility
of ultraviolet absorption method for sample analysis.
e. Colonial Pipeline officials state that redetermination of amt.
of kerosene spilled will be available at 1200 hrs. on 3/16.
f. FDA fish tissue analysis will be completed 3/17.
g. Continue aerial photography and helicopter overflight operations.
Thomas Massey, OSC
Manassas, Va.
- .55 -
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POLREP 11 - MAJOR POLLUTION INCIDENT, KEROSENE SPILL
COLONIAL PIPELINE COMPANY, BULL RUN, MANASS.AS, VA.
FED PROJECT NO. 05-100-103-80
1. SITUATION (2045 HR.) 3/15/80
a. High water conditions continuing due to runoff from storm of 3/13/80.
b. Analysis of samples sent 3/14 to EPA Lab, Edison, N.J.,revealed
no detectable amount of kerosene in intake or discharge from
Fairfax County Water Treatment Plant.
c. Leading edge of kerosene determined to be approx. 2,500 ft.
from Water Treatment Plant intake.
d. Oil soaked debris entrapped in cove areas upstream of Bull Run
Marina.
«
e. Necropsy of oiled beaver confirms liver damage due to kerosene
ingestion as cause of death.
f. Eagles spotted in spill area; however, US Fish and Wildlife
officials anticipate no problems involving eagles due to kerosene
spill.
2. ACTIONS TAKEN
a. All Army personnel- have now returned to Ft. Belvoir.
b. Two Navy booms have been removed from service.
c. Colonial requested to repair Siphon Dam located on unnamed
tributary just west of Rt. 234.
d. Approx. 31,000 Ibs. of contaminated material trucked to Prince
Wm. County Landfill.
e. Guidelines established for sampling and analysis program between
EPA and Versar, Inc.
f. Fairfax County Water Treatment Plant now operating at 50
carbon addition.
g. New sorbent boom placed just upstream of harbor boom at Water
Treatment Plant intake.
3. FUTURE PLANS
a. EPA to continue fluorescent analysis to evaluate water column
contamination.
b. Coast Guard to regauge recovered product storage tanks on 3/17.
c. FDA fish tissue analysis to be completed 3/17.
d. No further aerial photography expected to be performed at this
time.
- 56 -
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POLREP 11 - MAJOR POLLUTION INCIDENT, KEROSENE SPILL
COLONIAL PIPELINE COMPANY, BULL RUN, MANASSAS, VA.
FED PROJECT NO. 05-100-108-80
e. Helicopter support to remain on scene.
f. Damage Assessment Task Force to be set up to evaluate environ-
mental damage due to kerosene spill.
Tom Massey, OSC
Manassas, Va.
- 57 -
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POLREP 12 - MAJOR POLLUTION INCIDENT, KEROSENE SPILL
COLONIAL PIPELINE COMPANY, BULL RUN, MANASSAS, VA.
FED PROJECT NO. 05-100-108-80
1. SITUATION
a. High water conditions abating.
b. Sampling and analysis program by EPA and Versar continuing.
c. Fairfax Co. Water Treatment Plant still operating with 50 ppm
activated carbon addition. This is a 2 to 3 safety factor.
d. Colonial Pipeline personnel report reestimate of total kerosene
spilled as 336,000 gallons.(This is an increase of 169,000 gallons
oyer the Co.'s previous estimate for Manassas).
e. Colonial estimates total product recovered to date is 240,000 gals.
f. Leading edge of kerosene appears to have moved past the Occoquan Dam.
g. OSC to leave site, return to Phi la. at 1430 hrs.
2. ACTIONS TAKEN
a. Work crews have begun removal of oil soaked debris in large cove
upstream of Bull Run Marina.
b. USCG AST Mobile Command Post removed from spill site due to
more urgent need for use at oil spill in Mississippi River.
c. OSC, Fredericksburg, Va., contacted to request Mason and Hanger
Command Post trailer be transferred to Manassas once no longer
needed at Fredericksburg.
d. Strike Team and State WCB personnel evaluating locations for
static booms for long term recovery process.
e. Fairfax Co. Water Authority has set up special account for costs
incurred due to kerosene spill.
f. 4 filter fences in unnamed tributary removed by Colonial personnel.
g. Third siphon dam completed on east side of Rt.234.
h. OSC representative has advised Colonial officials that unless
a much improved effort is put forth towards cleaning large
cove upstream of marina, cleanup of this area will be taken
over as part of pollution fund cleanup effort.
- 58 -
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POLREP 12 - MAJOR POLLUTION INCIDENT, KEROSENE SPILL
COLONIAL PIPELINE COMPANY, BULL RUN, MANASSAS, VA.
FED PROJECT NO. 05-100-108-80 '
3. FUTURE PLANS
a. ERT evaluating possibility of sediment analysis for contamination
due to kerosene spill.
b. State WCB personnel to evaluate who will perform future fish tissue
analysis, State or FDA.
c. 6 to 12 sea gulls which have eaten contaminated dead fish will be
captured and sent to Patauxent Wildlife Research Lab in
Laurel, MD for study on effects of ingestion of these fish.
d. ERT to compile all lab data collected to da'te by various parties.
Two VAC trucks to remain at Bull Run Marina 24 hrs. per day until
further notice.
f. ^Geologist from State WCB to arrive 3/17 to evaluate extent of
ground contamination in area of pipe break.
g. RRT meeting tentatively scheduled for 3/20 in Manassas.
Tom Massey, OSC
Manassas, Va.
- 59 -
-------
POLREP 13 - MAJOR POLLUTION INCIDENT, KEROSENE SPILL
COLONIAL PIPELINE COMPANY, BULL RUN, MANASSAS, VA.
FED PROJECT NO. 05-100-108-80 . .
1. SITUATION (1800 HR',)3/17/80
a. Intermittent light rain continuing throughout the day.
b. Sampling and analysis program by EPA and Versar continuing.
c. Most recent lab data from both EPA and Versar indicates kerosene
slug has already begun to pass Occoquan Dam.
d. Samples taken by State Health Dept. of influent and effluent
at Fairfax Co. Water Treatment Plant revealed 350 ppb kerosene
for influent and not detectable for effluent.
e. OSC has requested increase in ceiling of pollution fund for
Manassas, VA of 300,000 dollars.
2. ACTIONS TAKEN
a. Cleanup operation at large cove upstream of Bull Run Marina has
improved markedly. Aid in this operation has been requested
of the Northern VA Regional Park Authority.
b. Static boom locations have been established at 5 points along
Bull Run and Occoquan Reservoir for long term recovery operation.
c. Joint effort by Strike Team and Colonial personnel to gauge
product recovery tanks produced value of 288,120 gals, of product
recovered to date.
d. State WCB geologist is evaluating potential for groundwater
contamination due to >the kerosene spill.
e. Coast Guard boom at intake of Water Treatment Plant taken out
and replaced by Colonial owned boom.
f. 5.6 tons of contaminated material trucked to Prince Wm. County
Landfill.
3. FUTURE PLANS
a. Prince Wm. Co. officials,in conjunction with State officials,to
perform canoe trip from confluence of unnamed tributary and
Bull Run to Bull Run Marina. Purpose is to note present wildlife
situation and any unidentified pockets of oil and oil entrapped
debris.
b. State WCB is on alert for possible fish kill downstream of
Occoquan Dam.
- 60 -
-------
POLREP 13 - MAJOR POLLUTION INCIDENT, KEROSENE SPILL
COLONIAL PIPELINE COMPANY, BULL RUN, MANASSAS, VA.
FED PROJECT NO. 05-100-103--80
c. Aerial photos of spill site to be taken 3/19 so as to be available
for RRT meeting on 3/20.
d. FDA fish tissue analysis to be available 3/19.
e. Damage Assessment Task Force conference involving all interested
organizations to be held 3/18.
Tom Massey, OSC
Manassas, Va.
- 61 -
-------
POLREP 14 - MAJOR POLLUTION INCIDENT, KEROSENE SPILL
... COLONIAL PIPELINE COMPANY, BULL RUN, MANASSAS, VA.
FED PROJECT NO. 05-100-1C8-80 '
1. SITUATION (1800 HR) 3/18/80
a. Predicted overnight rainfall did not develop therefore no high
water conditions.
b. Cleanup operation at large cove 90% complete.
c. 1 helicopter still on scene.
d. Remaining USCG Strike Team personnel to pull out on 3/19.
e. Incineration operation for disposal of contaminated material
continuing at Prince Wm. County Landfill.
f. Colonial personnel state that failure of pipeline at Manassas
was due to corrosion.
2. ACTIONS TAKEN
a. State WCB geologist is setting up monitoring program for ground-
water contamination using existing privately owned wells and
drilling new wells as needed.
b. Management of final phase cleanup operations to be turned over
to State WCB personnel as of 3/19.
c. Damage assessment conference held today, objectives of study
put forth and committee assignments made.
d. Strike Team and State WCB personnel set up program for long term
monitoring and cleanup operations.
e. 15.8 tons of contaminated material taken to Prince Wm. Co.
Landfill today. Total contaminated material hauled to landfill
to date is 63.79 tons.
3. FUTURE PLANS
a. OSC returning to Manassas on 3/19.
b. RRT meeting to be held in Manassas on 3/20.
c. FDA fish tissue analysis to be available 3/19.
d. Aerial photos to be taken 3/19.
e. Daily helicopter overflights to continue.
Tom Massey, OSC
Manassas, Va.
- 62 -
-------
POLREP 15 - MAJOR POLLUTION INCIDENT, KEROSENE SPILL
COLONIAL PIPELINE COMPANY, BULL RUN, MANASSAS, VA.
FED PROJECT NO,'05-100-108-80
1. SITUATION (1800 HR.) 3/19/80
a. Weather continuing favorable for cleanup operations. No rain
expected until Thursday evening (3/20).
b. Cleanup operations at isolated cove areas continuing. Expect
all activities except static boom placement to be complete as
of COB 3/20/80.
c. One helicopter on scene. Expect to terminate helicopter support
at COB 3/20.
d. USC6 AST personnel departed scene 0900, 3/19.
e. Incineration of contaminated material continuing at Prince Wm.
County Landfill. 7.32 tons of material delivered today, bringing
the total to 71.11 tons.
2. ACTIONS TAKEN
a. County and State Officials accompanied by delegates to State
Legislature surveyed Bull Run by canoe, finding no sheen or odor
from the spill site, to the first boom (Gun Club). There were
no signs of dead waterfowl. Sheen varying from slight to heavy
was visible from the Gun Club downstream to Bull Run Marina.
b. Aerial photos taken today, expect no additional photography
unless situation changes.
c. Sampling program continuing at Occoquan Watershed Lab. results
continue to show kerosene slug has passed Occoquan Dam.
d. Preliminary FDA fish analyses show no detectable kerosene at
1 pprti detection limit. Tests to confirm these results are being
run today, expect results 3/20.
3. FUTURE PLANS
a. RRT meeting to convene in Manassas on 3/20, 1400 hrs. OSC to
receive input from RRT on 311 fundable activities remaining on
scene.
b. Prince Wm. County Health Dept. to assist VA WCB in groundwater
investigation.
c. Colonial Pipeline and VA WCB to meet with property owners affected
by spill to discuss property restoration, where needed, along
stream bank.
Tom Massey, OSC
Manassas, Va.
- 63 -
-------
POLREP 16 - MAJOR POLLUTION INCIDENT, KEROSENE SPILL
COLONIAL PIPELINE COMPANY, BULL RUN, MANASSAS, VA.
FED PROJECT NO. 05-100-108-80 :
1. SITUATION (1800 HR.) 3/20/80
a. RRT convened on scene 1400 hr., 3/20.
b. Members present:
Jeffrey Mass, EPA Region 111, RRT Chairman (by phone)
Commander Gene Moran, 5th CG Dist., Vice Chairman (by phone)
Tom Massey, EPA Region 111, OSC
Mordecai Bennett, Corps of Engineers, Baltimore
John Dietrick, US Food and Drug Administration
Al Jackson, US Fish and Wildlife Service (by phone)
Robert King, National Transportation Safety Board (by phone)
William Whitehead, VA Office of Emergency Services
Al Willet, VA WCB
Monte Lewis, VA State Health Dept.
Henry Gray, Fairfax County Water Authority
Tom Gizzard, Occoquan Water Shed Monitoring Lab
Jim Payne, Prince Wm. County Public Works Dept.
Jerry Paisley, Colonial Pipeline Company
Selby Jacobs, Prince Wm. County Emergency Services
Ernest Watkins, VA WCB
Wayne Wilcox, Naval Facilities Engineering Command
Jim King, Prince Wm. County Health Dept.
2. ACTIONS TAKEN
a. RRT was appraised by VA WCB, OSC, and other cleanup personnel
that the cleanup operation is 99% completed. Continuing chemical
analysis of Bull Run'/Occoquan Reservoir will confirm the con-
centration of kerosene remaining in the water column.
b. OSC tasked VPI Occoquan Watershed Monitoring Lab to continue
sample analysis as long as needed.
c. Fairfax County Water Authority considers the drinking water
threat passed.
d. Approx. 260,000 net gals, of product were recovered, according
to latest estimates from Colonial Pipeline.
e. Fish and Wildlife Service requested 2 gals, of reclaimed oil
to perform toxicity tests on waterfowl.
- 64 -
-------
POLREP 16 - MAJOR POLLUTION INCIDENT, KEROSENE SPILL
COLONIAL PIPELINE COMPANY, BULL RUN, MANASSAS, VA.
'FED P'ROJECTNO. 05-100-108-80
f. EPA to provide National Transportation Safety Board with any
necessary information required for any NTSB investigation into
the pipeline break.
g. ERT to advise OSC regarding EPA involvement in the Damage
Assessment Study (See POLREP 14, Item (2) (c). Al Willet to
coordinate Damage Assessment Study involvement for VA. WCB.
h. The next RRT meeting expected to formally deactivate the RRT
for this project will be convened by telephone within 2 weeks.
i. OSC has designated Ernest.Islatkins, VA WCB, as OSC Representative
on scene.
Tom Massey, OSC
Manassas, Va.
- 65 -
-------
POLREP 17 - MAJOR POLLUTION INCIDENT
COLONIAL PIPELINE COMPANY, BULL RUN, MANASSAS, VA.
FED PROJECT NO. 05-100-1C8-80
1. SITUATION (1600 MRS.) 3/26/80
a. 5 boom locations still being maintained in Bull Run.
b. Dam at confluence of unnamed tributary and Bull Run effectively containing
sheen.
c. A light sheen noticeable just upstream of Bull Run Marina.
d. Sampling and analysis program continuing.
e. Incineration operations for oil soaked debris continuing at Prince William
County Landfi11.
2. ACTIONS TAKEN
a. State Water Control Board personnel monitoring boom location on a once
per day basis.
b. OSC authorized State WCB to contact all affected or interested local
agencies for their opinion on removal of all booms from Bull Run and the
Occoquan Reservoir.
c. Colonial Pipeline Co. has contacted people whose property was adversely
affected by the kerosene spill or the subsequent cleanup operation
regarding restoration.
3. FUTURE PLANS
a. If no objections from concerned local parties, boom removal to begin
3/27/80.
b. Fairfax Co. Water Treatment Plant to consider ending activated carbon
addition.
c. Tom Massey, OSC, and John Walsh, TAT, to attend NRT meeting, Washington,
DC at 1000 hrs. 3/27/80.
Tom Massey, OSC *
Phila., Pa.
- 66 -
recycled paper ecology and environment, inc.
-------
POLREP 18 - MAJOR POLLUTION INCIDENT
COLONIAL PIPELINE COMPANY, BULL RUN, MANASSAS, VA.
FED PROJECT NO. 05-100-108-80 '
1. SITUATION (1000 MRS.) 3/28/80
a. Several booms remain in place in Bull Run.
b. Colonial's estimate that 336,000 gals, spilled from pipeline, 257,000
gals, removed and stored at local tank farm. Colonial to dispose of -
recovered material by selling;ta.rerefining co.
c. Some small traces of sheen in Bull Run. Bulk oil removed. Removal
considered complete.
d. Drinking water quality (raw water) has stabilized. Contaminated water
column considered downstream from water intake.
2. ACTIONS TAKEN
a, OSC made site inspection on 3/28 and briefed NRT members 3/27 on spill
cleanup activities to date.
b. Va. WCB established monitoring wells in Prince WM County. (For private
drinking water supplies).
i
c. Prince WM. Co. reported receiving approx. 96 tons of kerosene soaked
debris, including sorbents.
d. FDA reported no detectable contamination in fish samples.
e. FDA sending written confirmation to VA. Health Dept. in order to release
press info concerning eatability quality of game fish.
3. FUTURE PLANS
a. OSC authorized ERT to contract and coordinate extent of contamination
survey under 31!T, activities, with Local and State authorities.
b. Upon notification that this survey shows no additional cleanup activities
are warranted the project will be terminated.
c. OSC to convene RRT prior to termination of 311 activities.
Tom Massey, OSC
Phila., Pa.
- 67 -
-------
V
1. Site of Colonial Pipeline break.
2. Oil flowing down Bull Run before containment.
3. Oil collected and pooled in cove behind boom on
Bull Run above the Marina. 3/8/80
-------
4. Oil collected behind two upstream booms and boom at Bull Run Marina.
- 69 -
-------
5. Weather and terrain hamper operations.
6. Oil contained downstream at Bull Run Marina.
7. Clean up operations at Bull Run Marina.
-------
!.>'.\ ?'**?»V1 '. -'
~ 'x.' -
8. Command post activities include EPA, Army, Navy,
Coast Guard and Colonial Pipeline representatives,
OSC confers with Mr. Biglane, Mr. Cook and Mr.
Grizzard on scene.
10. Virginia Fish and Wildlife personnel measure
oil killed beaver.
-------
11. OSC assesses effectiveness of underflow dam
on unnamed tributary.
12. Oil killed water fowl found along Bull Run.
13. Occoquan Reservoir water intake. Boom in
place as precautionary measure.
-------
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quick action prevented disaster
In earty March, near a major highway
north of Manassas. Virginia, a large, in-
terstate-oil pipeline ruptured, spilling over
300,000 gallons of aviation kerosene into
Bull Run-a tributary of the Occoquan
Reservoir.
Swift action on containing and cleaning
up the spill by Fairfax and Prince William
fire and rescue squads, Virginia State
Water Control Board, Environmental Pro-
tection Agency (EPA) Emergency Strike ,
Force, military personnel, the pipeline
owner and nearly 20 other agencies
avoided contamination of Northern . ..
Virginia's major water supply. In addition
to protecting the water supply, fish and
wildlife damage was held to a minimum.
Throughout the emergency, the Authori-
ty's concern was to protect drinking water
quality. The Authority, assisted by Virginia
State Health Department, Occoquan
Monitoring LaboratoiV and EPA, monitored
the movement of kerosene on Bui; Run
and continually tested the reservoir for
contaminants commonly found in aviation
kerosene.
The Authority also conducted laboratory
tests at its water purification plant to study
the effectiveness oi \^ns to remove the
.kerosene irom the w.ner should contam-
ination actually occu: The testing was suc-
cessful, assuring public health officials that
the .kerosene could be removed.
Approximately foui days after the spill
occured, very small naces of kerosene
were detected at the water supply intake;
however, they were easily and effectively
treated and removed Kerosene was never
detected in the drinking water leaving the
purification plants.-
The Authority is indebted to all those
persons who contributed to the success of
the containment and cleanup operations
upstream of the reseivoir which eliminated
the need to curtail w.'ter service lo the
700.000 people who oepend on the
Authority for drinkine water.
-------
Washington Post
3/8/80
EPA Is Battling
Manassds-Area
Kerosene
By Ronald D.^Vhffe
|'iVtthlnttan Pon SUff Writer
Ribbons of foul-smelling aviation
kerosene from a 250,000-gaIIon pipe-
line spill in Manassas coaled a 10-mile
stretch of Bull Run yesterday, creat-
ing what a federal official called "a
potentially horrendous situation."
Environmental Protection Agency
spokesmen, disavowing earlier state-
ments by local officials that the spill
constituted no health hazard, said the
kerosene has the potential to contami-
nate the Occoquan Reservoir, source
of drinking water for 600,000 North-
ern Virginians. .
Officials also are "very concerned"
about possible damage to fish and
wildlife, one spokesman said.
The leak occurred Thursday after-
noon after a 32-inch underground pipe
owned by the Colonial Pipeline Co.
burst at a Manassas fuel depot The
pipeline is a major petroleum trans-
mission route stretching from Texas
to New Jersey.
Estimates of the size of the leak,
put at 100,000 gallons by local officials
on Thursday, were more than dou-
bled by EPA yesterday.
"In a stream bed this size, a spill of
these proportions is just horrendous."
said Tom Massey, onscene coordint>*«r
of a 25-mcmber EPA team overseeing
containment and r'ecovery efforts.
By 5:30 p.m., the spill had reached
several barriers of floatation collars
stationed at Bull Run Marina, roughly
10 miles from the intake ducts of the
Occoquan Reservoir, in Southern Fair-
_fax County, according to EPA'spokcs-
man George V. Bochanski Jr.
Officials and workers at the scene
differed on how effective the collars
might be in stopping the flow of the
pale yellow, oily kerosene. EPA offi- .
cials, calling the xerosene extremely
toxic, said it was impossible to esti-
mate how much already had entered
the water table.
Kerosene could reach the Occoquan
Reservoir sometime this weekend if
the collars fail to block it, EPA said.
In that event, the agency said it would
recommend that intake ducts be
closed temporarily. .
Spill recovery workers from a pri-
vate Baltimore firm, J and L Indus-
tries, Inc., erected floatation collars
made of absorbent cotton at four sta-
tions ilon? Bull Run. according to J
and L superintendent Frank . Enos.
The collars are capable of absorbing
10 times their weight in oil.
"But the currents were very swift,
Tl's like a river in some places," said
Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Serv-
ices of George M. Alexander. "The
kerosene would thicken at the collar
site and eventually begin to flow un-
der them.1'
Eleven Fairfax County firrfiphtcrs.
wading in chcsl-dccp water to help at-
larh thp collars Thursday night, sus-
tamed chemical burns from the kero-
.scne. said Fairfax County fire spokes-
man Stenhanie Hoover. One of them,
27-year-old Robert Clark, was treated
for burns at Commonwealth Doctor's
Hospital before being released. '.
The. collars, and a crude dike, of
blankets and chicken wire fences ''
errctod Thursday at Bu]l Run Park,
managed to contain some of the kero- ''
sene.
"On a warm day like today, a gallon
nf oil can spread 200 or 300 feel."
Enos said yesterday while -rubbing
bloodshot eyes after being up- all
night. "Its a mess, really. It's real
thin krrosenc. and the thinner it is,
.the quicker it moves." ]-
Enos, said he was convinced the.spill
would go no further than Bull Run
Marina, where five of the floatation .
collars and a vacuum "skimmer" with
a truck capable of holding more than
5,000 c:01ORS wcs stationed., -v
"It ain't going no further than
here." Enos said. "We've got people
from Newport News -and Baltimore
here on this and some of them are
adding more collars further up. The
water level is down about a foot from
yesterday-and a-lot pi it is covering
the hanks."
Colonial spokesman -Jim -Sorrow
said his company will assume the en-
tire cost o.L the clean-up operation.
"We have no idea why the line
broke," he said. "We haven't been
able to see the hole yet because we
haven't reached it. It was 18 feet deep
at that point and there are several
large rocks that must be removed."
Sorrow said Ihc pipeline normally
moved about "26.000 barrels per hour,
and there are 42 gallons in a barrel."
senc) will get into the drinking water
number of continacncy plans for gcl-
"It's impossible to estimate when
the pipeline can he restored." Sorrow
said. "But it will not cause an immedi-
ate fuel shortage in the North. That
kerosene is used in domestic aircraft
and there is normally a five-day re-
serve maintained for emergency situa-
tions."
Bochanski, the EPA spokesman.
said the suburban Washington area's
"scientific community has been can-
vassed" in order to assess the poten-
tial damage to the environment, Mas-
sey said the EPA-was "very concerned
about the possibility that (the kero-
sens) will get into the drinking water
... it's vory toxic."
l.mic U.iikins. a' representative'of
\ ir »nia's Stale Water Control Board,
:-'t\ reporters he would be meeting
with other officials -to determine a
»»her of con*.igcncy plans for get-
t'ir drnking water if the Occoquan is
<" :-..-.! cd.
Fairfax County recently bought a
!-e rock quarry next to the reser-
voir that will be filled with water to
oft as a reserve in cases of: emer-
2r«cy. but it will not be available
.-"in, a Control Board representative
sr.id.
OHicials^aid they could also get
fresh water in limited amounts from :
Fairfax County lakes, and that Arling-
ton Comity and Falls Church could
aim furnish drinking water.
A lone-ranee plan to develop intake
chicis on the Potomac River -to supply
Northern Virginia will not be com-
p'c"?d until 1981. a Fairfax water au-
thority official said. ' . "
Even after -the spill has been
cleared, Bochanski said environmental
investigations to assess the long-run
drnage fo wildlife and the environ- '
r>-?nt will continue. "Some will get- by
the .narina. Officials will be trying to-
d-Ermine what wildlife has .been af-
fc^'cd and in what ways, like a before-
.-"ri-c.'l.cr comparison," he said. -
- 74 -
-------
Washington Star
3/9/80
Fuel Spill
Threatens
Va. Wildlife
By Howie Kurtz
WjshinRtnoSiar Stall Writer
Federal officials are fearful that
the massive spill of kerosene at Bull
Run in Manassas has contaminated a
large amount of fish and wildlife in
what they term the largest fresh-
water accident in Virginia history.
Some 200.000 gallons of light kero-
sene used in airplanes is still coating
a 10-mile stretch of the waterway
after an underground pipeline
owned by Colonial Pipeline Co.
burst unexpectedly Thursday.
officials yesterday found several
contaminated ducks that had to be
destroyed and several beavers also
sick from the kerosene. The EPA
officials did not see any dead fish
during a helicopter tour of the area,
but they expressed concern that
many dead fish might be submerged
beneath the water's surface.
"We expect there will be a rather
large fish kill from this accident, al-
though we haven't seen any physical
evidence so far," said EPA official
George V. Bochansky Jr. "Other
ducks, geese and birds seem to have
left the area. But there's no doubt it's
an extremely serious spill with re-
spect to wildlife."
Officials are optimistic, however,
that the kerosene spill won't endan-
ger the dnnking water supply for
660,000 Northern Virginians.
The extremely toxic kerosene is
about nine miles from the Occoquan
Reservoir. Fairfax County officials
are prepared to close the reservoir if
'Other ducks, geese and
birds seem to have left
the area. But there's no
doubt it's an extremely
serious spill with respect
to wildlife.'--.
enough of the foul-smelling material
slips past the large flotation collars
of absorbent cotton that have been
placed in Bull Run Marina.
Fairfax officials are using carbon
filters to cleanse whatever kerosene
reaches the Occoquan Reservoir. But
the kerosene is moving slowly and
the chances of a projected thunder-
storm faded yesterday.
A sccpnd spill of 60,000 gallons
from the same pipeline
-------
3/11/80
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Tan/c trucks pump oil from water at Bull Run Marina '.
Over 25,000 Fish
Believed Exiled
ByGARYRHODES -
JM Staff Writer
A third battle of Bull Run is being
waged according to Tom Massey,
federal coordinator, as -a team of
government organizations-and private
contractors try to contain a major spill
of kerosene here that has already killed
25,000 fish.
Since late Sunday, some fuel has
moved as much as a mile beyond
several booms at Bull Run Marina to
another location on the Occoquan
where a boom is in place. "There is not
a major concern about the quality of the
water now," Massey stated, "but if it
should rain, the oil could get out of con-
tainment. In that event, technology
' would not be available to control it in
some currents." There was no rain in
tion is planned. Vacuuming will con-
tinue as well as skimming and boom-
ing, which is a device that clears the oil
on top of the surface of the water. -
A federal fish and wildlife oil spill.
coordinator on-scene said the fish kill
extends from Bull Hun Marine three
miles upstream. A continued kill is ex-
pected for the next fe-w days. There are
a number of fish in "distressed condi-
tion," according to the official. The kill
is believed to be Hniited to Bull Run
with tributaries being "fairly clear."
The fish are the main concern, rather
than wildlife. Affected species include
crappie, blue gill and. red-eyed sun per-
ch. The fate of oil turtles, other aquatic
life and water organisms is also of some
concern, the federal official said.
It is termed a massive kill. Wildflife
Fish
; '" Continued from A-l
As far as birds go, three dead mallard
ducks have been observed. A Canada
goose has not been given much chance
for survival. The affect on water fowl
appears to be minimal because of miga-
tion patterns at this tiem of year, the of-
ficial said.
Helicopter flights are scheduled Icf
day for aerial surveillance of the af-
fected areas. A mobile lab was brought
in by EPA for analysis'"bf the fuel pro-
duct.
The Occoquan Watershed Monitoring
Laboratory in Manassas and Versar, a
laboratory with offices in Reston and
Springfield, are conducting tests or
water samples.
Massey said that tests will be made
on the kerosene where it is the thickest
to determine how much of the'threat ii
will be to the drinking water of Prince
William and Fairfax counties.
"This is a big battle that is going to bt
fought like the one a hundred year:
'ago,'" Massey stated."'-'If we fose it
everybody will lose." '
"-' There is reason for concern abou
' wildlife and about the possible presenci
of dangerous elements in the spillage, t
~ur of dead beavers has already beei
otted in addition to the fish. Othe
; sick animals have been seen too.
-------
By MARK BAILEY
JM Staff Writer
Fearing major contamination of the
Occoquan Resevolr, its tributaries, and
the surrounding environment, the
Federal Environmental Protection
Agency Sunday stepped In and took con-
trol of efforts to contain a kerosene
slick making its way down Bull Run.
That slick is the result of the release of
nearly 250,000 gallons of kerosene from
a ruptured pipeline near Manassas last
Thursday afternoon.
On Scene Coordinator of.the E.P.A.'s
emergency strike force, Tom Massey,
declared the spill a federal clean-up ef-
fort at 2:15 p.m. Sunday when it was
determined that efforts by the Colonial
Pipeline Co., owners of the ruptured
pipeline, had failed to contain the slick
at Bull Run Marina.
Such a declaration transfers conlrol
(the operation to the E.P.A. and
allows for increased use of federal per-
sonnel and equipment in the cleah-up
operation. Late yesterday the Coast
Guard began calling for additional
equipment including skimmers, absor-
bent cotton booms to spread across the
river's Surface, and large rubber blad-
ders in which to store the kerosene.
As of Sunday afternoon the En-
vironmental Protection Agency, the
Coast Guard, the Federal Disaster
Coordination Agency, the . Virginia
Commision of Game and Inland
Fisheries, the Virginia State .Water
1 Control Board, the Virginia Depart-
ment of Health, "as well as Colonial
Pipeline and its contractors J&L In-
dustries of Baltimore were all involved
in the clean-up effort.
A spokesperson for the E.P.A. said
that Sunday's take over of the clean-up
in no way reflected discredit on the ef-
forts of Colonial Pipeline Co., but mere-
ly allowed for an increased use of
federal resources in the effort.
As late as Saturday night officials on
the scene had been optomistic that the
spill would be contained behind booms
spread across Bull Run at the marina
about eight miles above the reservoir.
At that time a southerly wind was keep-
ing the spill contained above the
marina.
During the night, however, the wind
shifted and began sending the surface
"sheen" toward the reservoir.
Peter Ackly, press spokesman for the
E.P.A. on the scene, said yesterday
that the situation with regards to con-
tamination of the water source and to a
significant wildlife kill is potentially
quite serious.
"At this time we have no direct
evidence of any significant wildlife
damage, but it may be too soon to tell
how much damage has been or will be
done,"Aclysaid.
Acly noted that some bad taste and
smell would probably find its way into
the water supply, but that filtration
facilities at the Fairfax County Water
Authority would remove any potental
threats to public hcnllh. He noted that
the FCWA facility was one of the best
technically equipped and scientifically
. staffed water treatment equipped and
scientifically staffed water treatment
equipped and scientifically staffed
water treatment plants in the country.
He also noted that well water in the
area would have to be monitored over
the next several days for signs of con-
tamination. He went on to say that a
potential for closing off the use of some
wells and Ihe water intakes on the Occo-
quan would exist i ver the next few-
days.
Teams from the Sti le Commission on
See "FEDER VL" on A-3.
-------
Continued from A-l
Game and Inland Fisheries were con-
ducting a survey of the contaminated
portion of Bull Run by canoe Sunday lo
determine the extent of the damage lo
.
edericksburg City Manager John
Nolan declared a local emergency Sun-
day and closed the city schools and
about "20 businesses, including large
water users such as laundromats, car
washes and some manufacturing
plants.
"If our test results show a more
serious situation, 1 shall recommend to
Gov. John N. Dallon that he declare a
man-made.disaster in Fredericksburg,
south Stafford County and the Spol-
sylvania County area adjacent lo
Fredericksburg."
" Nolan said the test results would be
known Monday afternoon.
Workmen on Sunday began building
an earthen dam across the upper end of
a canal that carries water from the
river to the holding pond.
Despite the closing of the canal's inlet
gates when word of the spill was first
reported, officials said kerosene has
seeped into the canal.
Water also is being pumped out of the
canal in an effort to prevent spillover
into the holding pond, Nolan said.
Nolan said neighboring Spotsylvania
County is supplying 1 million gallons a
day to the city's system and Stafford
County has agreed to supply 800,000
g' is a day.
.an said that if the holding pond is
found to be contaminated, the city will
have to depend solely on Spotsylvania
and Stafford counties for its water sup-
ply. '
About 200,000 to 250,000 gallons of
domestic aviation kerosene spilled into
Bull Run Creek on Thursday, and a
simultaneous break in the same
pipeline sent another 63,000 gallons into
the Rapidan River about 40 miles away,
federal officials said.
The Bull Run spill then flowed toward
the Occoquan Reservoir, which is the
water supply source for some 600,000
customers of the Fairfax County Water
Authority.
The Rapidan spill moved into the
Rappahannock River, which flows
through Fredericksburg and supplies
that city with water.
Jim Sorrow of Colonial Pipeline Co.,
which owns the 32-inch pipeline that
ruptured, said the two spills occurred at
the same time, 3:36 p.m. Thursday,
although the Rapidan spill went
undetected until about noon Friday.
. Sorrow said the cause of the rupture
was the "unscheduled shutdown of the
Conowingo^Pump Station in northern
Maryland. That shutdown, in turn,
ca' 1 . a .sequential shutdown . of
Shv j- if pump station, which resulted in
a pressure"buildup on the line, he said.
Federal officials took over cleanup of
the Bull Run spill. Ackly some of the
kerosene was getting past booms set up
at the Bull Run Marina, but other
booms had been set up downstream to
stop the fuel.
Dead fish taken from contaminated water
tion that funding in all other areas is in-
deed stringent," Lee staled. "We must
work together to manage as efficiently
as possible those resources allocated to
each program. We must be prepared to
set priorities and perhaps reduce or
eliminate supplies and services we
have had in the past if the inflationary
spiral continues in the double digit area
throughout 1980-81."
For some time there was confusion
about exactly what type of fuel spewed
from a broken line Friday at the Sudley
Rd. Initially it was identified as number
2 fuel, but was changed later to
kerosene, though there is very little dif-
ference. Last Friday, the Colonial Com-
pany pipeline was severed
simultaneously in two spots, at
Manassas and .in Culpeper County.
Aviation-grade kerosene broke -here
and number 2 fuel that was running
behind it escaped in Culpeper-County
where it drained into the Rappahan-
nock River. The spillage was greater at
Manassas, officials said.
Scientists are carefully monilorj^-
the water as they look for benzi
leukemia-causing compound,
the suspected carcinogen n,
- 78 -
-------
POTOMAC" N
3/12/80'
.ByDARIOBERNARDINI '
Vr.7 ->«DdSARAMORIARTY '
As word was received that Virginia
(' Gov. John Dalton had extended a state
of emergency to Include the Manassas
pill, EPA spokesmen expressed op-
, tlmlsro that eight skimmers which
| worked through the night Tuesday had
! removed the bulk of a heavy scum
i which rested behind the booms at Bull
"
j Dalton,"who was In the
Fredericksburg area Tuesday,
declared- the resources of the state
i available if needed.
I -TWa'appreciate bis expression of
J Interest and concern. Members of the
' governor's staff have been on the scene
lilnce^'the1 beginning," U.S. -En-"
i vfronmetalT Protection Agency*
Spokesman George Bochanski said this
| morning. '
i EPA overflight photographs show
5 lhat the switch in the wind has helped
Kweep,pockels of. th^ kerosene, jtoward
Deeded at
.. we are
arc' aleo ceutlous and
to fe* iMdr for anything M we are
tokxevbtb to then If we need it"
tt «u4 Tneaday night that
A itftfaxaL b*d twea brought in
from EPA facilities hi New Jersey to
provide a faster check on the levels of
hydrocarbons contained in the reser-
voir. Some of the hydrocarbons which
make up kerosene are highly toxic.
"This machinery will allow us to'
check the levels of hydrocarbons in the
water down to one part per billion parts
of water in 15 minutes," said
Bochanski. The level of kerosene..
concentration believed dangerous.' to
humans is 100 parts per billion. V- " '
. Jim Warfield at the Fairfax Water ."
Authority confirmed- that activated "
carbon is being added to the water but
. emphasized that It. was not because of '
;: any contaminants. -' *v*-'i'y''- ' ' >.
'**' -"Adding the carbon to the procesa '
^'" caused a buildup and shakedown period5
... for the plant and so we are adding about ;v
" 5 parts per million now so that if we£
v> have to add carbon later the system will
function smoothly," Warfield said.
At the treatment plant, tests continue
on various ways of treating kerosene in
'.'ywater." '>A£»SR*fe?$
i' "We are finding that the;acdrat«el;
carbon works very well.'V.'Wart
said, adding that a good supply of
carbon was on hand, but moc«-i
being obtained. The carbon U boujj* by"
the ton at between $700 and faoaVIJC;^*^
"We are really pleased at the d**e
effort so far. We are testing berv, bat
testing is being-coordinated
EPA and tests are compared seve:
times dally," he said.
If the water were contaminated w
kerosene, 50 parts of carbon per milJi
would be added. Carbon Is used at otf.
times for odor control.
Bochanski said propane cannons £
still being used to scare birds. aw
from the area and prevent them fix
roosting in the area. He said beliu
balloons will be used beginning today
.relieve residents of the constant nol
of the cannons.
Prince William County Police h;
reported Tuesday that the departing
had received about six or seven cai
inquiring about the cannons.
The toll on wildlife as of Tuesd;
.«? . .-See SPILL, Page/
SPILL-
From Page
- 79 -
night was: five beavers and se
waterfowl reported dead, while
beavers which were sick from
kerosene were taken to the Nati(
Zoo in Washington, D.C., for treatnv
Some Army personnel which
been dispatched to the area to as&b
the cleanup 'were allowed to k.
Bochanski said, and other troops v
moved from the Manassas Ramada
to the Vint Hill reservation to cut
penses.
"We have been, and will be,
tlnuing our cleanup operations,"
Bochanski.
Colonial Pipeline spokesman
Sorrow said Tuesday that ,flushd<
operations would begin in the up
areas of the spill and that Army
sonnel would move through, picking
twigs and kerosene-soaked leaves.
Disposal of that debris bad not
been resolved.
According to Joseph Lafonar
chemist with EPA, people probablj
drink water with a kerosene'
centration In excess of the detenr
safe level without any effect at all.
"Of course, someone could deve
chronic problem If they contlnut
drink the water over a long peril
time," said Lafonara. "That's
we're trying to avoid here."
Lafonara said a person may be-
nauseated from kerosene
lamination, but that vomiting is :
cure.
"Actually if they vomit they'll ]t
giving their lungs another dose c
stuff, and the lungs are the part c
body that Is really affected,"
Lafonara.
According to Lafonara, the
substances In kerosene are ber
xylene and certain naphthas.
"Benzene Is known to cause leuV
-------
POTOMAC NEWS, 3/17/80
-..
ByDARIOBERNARDINI '
The approximately 200,000 gallons of
kerosene which spilled from a ruptured
oil company pipeline March | 6 near
Manassas no longer poses any threat to
the Occoquan Reservoir, the .drinking
water supply for much of Northern
Virginia, federal officials said Satur-
day. |
(U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency spokesman Tom Massey, on-
slte coordinator of the cleanup
Operations, said the crews have
retrieved almost all the kerosene that
leaked from a ruptured pipeline owned *
by the Colonial Pipeline Company.
) Massey said traces of the kerosene
are being found in the reservou;, which
Is the drinking water source for 660,000
people in Alexandria, Fairfaxl County
and eastern Prince William County, but
the levels are below those considered
dangerous to humans. He added that
the Fairfax County Water Authority,
which operates the reservoir and the
water treatment plant there, can
remove those traces of kerosene during.
the treatment process.
The spill occurred March 6
when a
combination of human and computer
error, according to a Colonial
spokesman, caused a major un-
derground pipeline to rupture, sending
more than 200,000 gallons I of the
aviation fuel into Bull Run, one of the
reservoir's tributaries. j
| Another rupture took place
simultaneously in the same pipeline in
Orange County, spilling about 63,000-
'gallons of heating oil into the Rapldan
River which flows Into th£ Rap-
pahannock River, the drinking water
source for the city ot Frederlclcsburg.
This spill went undetected for almost 24
hours as officials concentrated] on the
Bull Run area. . ... :(....,
I. Massey credited a conglomeration of
more than 400 people from 40 different
'agencies with "pulling together to
combat this incident. After eight days I
feel confident of the success Tof this
team effort. I.
"I'm- optimistic that there's- no
problem with the water supply. The
threat is over for Northern Virginia."
Neither Massey nor Kenneth Biglane
coordinator of the National Response
Team which works on major oil spills of
this type, were willing to put an exact
FOUND LEAK ~ John Bolton, an
employee with the Prince
William Electric Cooperative,'
reported the March 6 leak from
the ruptured .petroleum pipeline
located along Va. 234 near
Sudley. Manor Drive north of.
Manassas. After noticing the
kerosene spewing from the
ground and spreading across the
road, Bolton had the Co-op call
county fire personnel. (Potomac
News photo by Clifford Owen.)".
:&;:
M?^'
.«*"* -
if-'ljV
.A"*.*1
figure on the cleanup costs which could :-*-'.
be as high as $5 million. Colonial hi
agreed to pay all the costs.
An assessment of the total en- y^i
vironmental damage was not made, but ~*?"; "T
' the toll on fish Is expected to be great. "'
' Several thousand have reportedly been \
killed, and will rise to the surface of
Bull Run as the water gets warmer. '?.
About 35 oiled birds have been killed, V^ys
according to EPA. ,_ -.. ,,.. . ;. '?£.$:&
"We're not out of the woods yet," said["£&>
Massey. "We still have to evaluate '" ':^.
some of the damage that has been -';'-
done." ,; ^:.
Massey said the cleanup 'crew was '.",££:
"lucky" that the weather did not pose a ».3£o
problem. The only significant amount ' t£i
of rainfall occurred last Thursday, and '^f£;
-See SPILL, Page A-5 ^J:;j
- 80 -
-------
the elemip effo
d «lot of rain and it
Kerosene .Into the
r, well, rd hate to even venture
' >« guess oa what would have happened,"
I 'A*JdMassey.' ''''#.:'". '
v-'- Massey declared the cleanup effort a
federal response action on March 9,
opening the way (or massive amounts
of "federal assistance.. He said the
decision 'was no reflection on the
cleanup efforts of Colonial, which until
that point bad been responsible for
keeping the kerosene from entering the
reservoir. ..:V t'l-\- - -c.
When asked If the comments of Fred
Morin/.chairman of the water
authority.' more than one week ago
itatlqg his -concern over Colonial's
cleanup efforts were a factor in his
decision, Massey responded: They sure
did, they sure did."
*'>. Massey heaped a great deal of praise
on the state and local/ offices of
emergency services, saying they
responded quickly to the crisis.
' -/."Right after the spill occurred the
local fire department was out In BuU
Run laying booms to trap the
kerosene," sajd Massey. "And,
Virginia U a progressive state In
regards to having the contingency
plans ready to deal with this type of
UuaUon." ... . .
{Absorbent material" used In' the
ctaUM0 fc betnt; burned at Uw Prince
llllam ' County landfill near .In-
dependent Hill. Approval of the burning
operation, which began last week, was
; needed from the Virginia Air Pollution
Control Board and the state Office of
Solid and Hazardous Wastes Handling.
Though open burning of wastes Is
prohibited In Northern Virginia, John
Doherty, head of the Air Pollution
Control Board's regional office in Falls
Church, said the operation was allowed
on an emergency basis.
"Normally, this would not be ap-
proved, but it is not a health hazard or a
significant problem in any way," said
Doherty. ' ,.. . .
Doherty explained that the kerosene-
soaked material Is burned In a deep pit,
while a special device blows air Into the
pit to keep the blaze going.
"That fire Is very hot and we keep It
that way by blowing the air on It," said
Barry Archer, deputy director of the
Prince William public works depart-
. ment, which Is responsible for landfill
operations. "There is almost no smoke
coming from it, and the only material
left over Is some ash,"
. "They needed to get rid of the
material, and they'simply could have
placed It In the landfill," said Doherty.
"But we're running out of space to put
trash, and the only permission Involved
for this operation was an acceptable
method of burning. They have that at
Prince William."
After all the material Is burned, the
ashes will be covered by soil.
; The water situation In the city of
1 Frederickfiburg has Improved during
the weekend. Cleanup crews'headeo/D^ '
the EPA finished their work, and (he
city 1s now waiting for the Rap-
pahannock River to cleanse Itself. Until
that happens, the city will be waiting
' for .permission from health authorities
to begin using the river water again.
Conservation efforts are going to
continue In the city until that okay is
given. . . . *'
A slx-mllllon-gallon canal linking the
city's treatment plant to the Rap-
pahannock River was reopened Friday
night and was being used. The canal
had been closed because of high con-
centrations of heating oil had been
detected In It..
United Press International reported
today that City Manager John Nolan
said a tanker convoy will continue to
haul fresh water from a nearby quarry
and dump It Into the city's water
system. .
While the go-ahead from health of-
ficials to use the Rappahannock River
again could come within a day or two,
Nolan emphasized that "the crisis is
still here until we get the word the river
Js clear."
SHOOT
Fr.om Page A-1
-that a 13-acre tract be rezoned to multi-
family (apartments) and townhouses,
and a 6.1-acre tract be rezoned
to townhouses. The owners are F.S.
McCandllsh Jr. and Carroll Wright Jr.
Near the site Is land zoned for another
~-Tnultl-famlly complex, the Lancaster
-------
SECTION I
OSC LOG
-------
MANASSAS, VA, OIL SPILL LOG
3/7/80
0030
0100
0700
1030
1600
1900
2400
Tom Massey, OSC, EPA, Region III arrives Manassas, VA.
Authority Building to status him and provide insight.
Meeting in Park
Jim Sorrow, Colonial Pipeline Co.
Advises OSC that company accepts responsibility and set up plan of
attack. OSC requests company get helicopter and lab personnel. .OSC
requests Health Department personnel on scene.
Strong sheen coming down stream. At Bull Run Marina 3 booms in place
counting the one put in by the fire department. One additional boom
in place blocking small inlet across from marina. J & L also putting
in booms downstream of marina. No product observed behind any of the
booms. Helicopter overflight, to make visual report of extent of contaminati
John Walsh reported that a large quantity of oil. was trapped about a 1/2
mile upstream of Bull Run. His report was that 3 booms at the marina
was not anywhere near enough to contain the quantity upstream. Colonial
directed to get in a great deal more booms at the marina as well as place
containment booms upstream of marina. Garth Glenn, VA SWCB, reports
small pocketing of oil in unnamed sewer line crossing near confluence.
Mainstream appeared fairly clear till Rt. 616 where a pocket was con-
tained by several booms. Collection area being constructed. Next oil was
sighted at Gun Club. Solid oil from shore to shore from bend below Gun
Club down river about 2 miles to small island and bend about 1/4 mile
above marina.
Report received that oil was covering over 10 miles of the Rapidan
River as of 1230. Health Department and water authorities notified.
RRT Meeting held.
Al Jackson, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Manassas, VA, arrives on scene.
3/8/80
1000
1005
1010
1025
Approximately 200,000 gal. kerosene, spilled due to pipe break into
tributary to Bull Run, Manassas, VA (trib. to Potomac River). At
Fredericksburg concurrent spill due to pipe break approx. 60,000 gal.
kerosene into Rappahannick River. Both breaks occurred 3/6/80 at
1536 according to computer records.
Al Willet advised Massey that Ernie Watkins would be State Representative
on hand.
Northern Virginia Regional Park.Authority (NVRPA) to check Bull Run
for dead fish. Heavy sheen across Bull Run bank to bank.
OSC tasked Colonial to get health dept. contact to call OSC ASAP.
VA Health Dept. personnel on scene - told OSC Fredericksburg has
48 hrs. water reserve under normal conditions.
OSC convened strategy meeting with Water Control Board, State Health
Dept., EPA and Colonial officials.
- 82 -
-------
3/8/80
1100 Dick Calupca (Colonial) has room 254, 256 of Sheraton in Fredericks-
burg as command point of that area.
Clean up contractors - called in to establish booms in Rappidan
Creek and diversion booms away from intake canal. Second boom in
canal and another downstream from intake as pickup point.
No activated carbon capabilities at Fredericksburg. Average draw of
3.5 MGD including outlying areas - approx. 3.0 MGD for Fredericksburg.
.7 MGD available from other source. Spotsylvania; 2.3 MGD must be
supplied under no ration conditions 2.0 MGD necessary minimum. 1.9 MGD
absolute minimum. *"Blue Magoo" can furnish 0.8 MGD so 1.1 MGD must be
supplied by other sources.
OSC made decision to go with EERU emergency water treatment. EERU
unit requested (Blue Magoo) by OSC to be brought immediately on scene.
OSC directed to accept company's spill volume figures as estimates but will
reserve the right to make our own estimates at a later date as indicated.
At time of break material was flowing at 26,000 barrels per minute.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife - no info on Rappidan, info will be gathered. Fish
kill can be expected over entire length of spill.
1210 VA Game Warden - John Berry
Beaver are being affected. Coats are being coated with oil as the
animals come out of the water by licking their coats, animals face
danger of being killed by poison and exposure.
A mobile carbon filtration system
1215 Boom in canal
1220 Colonial Pipeline notified by OSC-to secure Fredericksburg intake
with booms.
1450 Ag-Rotors on scene with Hughes 500
Occoquan: 5 stations for sampling
1. Catharpin gauging station, upstream of spill site
2. Catharpin gauging station, upstream of the 7 mile boom
3. Bull Run Marina
4. Ryans' Dam - head of reservoir
5. Treatment plant
1900 RRT meeting - John Berry, State Game Warden on scene, expects
20-25 oiled birds and beavers in Bull Run. Dead fish pick-up
coordinated with SWCB. Identify sensitive areas for Colonial to
boom.
- 83 -
-------
MANASSAS, VA
3/9/80
0700 OSC opened command post.
0900 Strategy Meeting. Wind changed 320° from 3/8/80. Oil pooled in
cove has been blown across to other side (high bank side) of river.
455 barrels of material removed overnight for a total amount of
approx. 40,000 gallons total product removed as of 0800, 3/9/80.
7000 gallons removed from Fredericksburg area as of 0800, 3/9/80.
Pipeline repairs completed in Occoquan area.
U. S. Fish & Wildlife Dept. - 2 canoes floating down river looking for
damaged wildlife, fish, otter, beaver. Fish kill in excess of 100
reported at 0400 at Marina at head of reservoir.
Lands End Wildlife refuge - boom being placed upstream to collect sheen.
TOC levels up at Fredericksburg in the river. TOC levels at Marina
bridge up but kerosene odor noticeable.
12 ea. 10,000 gallon bladder tanks staged and on standby at Ft. Lee,
VA, per Morgan Fink, USA COE, Washington District. Additional bladder
tanks closer to site being investigated by Army forcecom through DOD NRT.
1330 Strategy Meeting - Emergency Preparedness - Fairfax Water Authority
Dept. has 2 portable activated carbon units.
Colonial states that marina is main point of recovery activity.
1400 OSC made decision to aid Colonial Pipeline within the Occoquan area.
USC6 to get 5 more Strike Force people; bring in 10 bladders minimum;
bring in additional skimmers; bring in additional contractor - possibly
IMS, with approx. 20 personnel.
Additional sorbent boom in Occoquan approx. 4,000 ft. Additional
booms to be put in at Fountainhead Park.
1430 OSC called Ken Biglane - possible activation of NRT.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife to ascertain critical areas for protection
1500 Tom Sell, ERT, on scene.
1720 Briefing and strategy meeting
Federal Effort - Booms at water treatment plant intake. Full effort at
Bull Run Marina in addition to Colonial Pipeline efforts. Invert dam
to be built in unnamed trib. to Bull Run.
Colonial states that as of 1430, 10 booms between Fairfax Rod & Gun
Club to the Bull Run Marina. Total Product recovered as of 1800
approx. 60,000 gals.
- 84 -
-------
1720 Bull Run canoe trip reports fish kill and distressed fish (20-25,000)
from Marina approximately 3 miles upstream, gulls feeding on these
fish. Also noticing fish on the Rappahanock River. Contacted Humane
Society for volunteers to clean birds and beaver.
3/10/80
0730 Overflight shows product accumulation in lower most boom below Bull
Run Marina. Additional skimmers and booms deployed.
0745 Les Terry and Pete Anastasi U.S. F & WL on scene today. News releases.
0800 OSC instructed all Federal personnel that no press statements should
be made. Priority to get invert dam in unnamed tributary. RRT
meeting to be held 1400 3/10/80.
CG stated that boom to be placed in reservoir and around the water
intake. Continue ops at marina, at Rod & -Gun Club and start pumping
at unnamed trib.
0830 Joe Lafonara, EPA/ERT arrives on scene.
0900 OSC tasked J. Lafonara with coordinating sampling, analysis and all
scientific support.
1000 J. Lafonara requested that HQ OWS send toxicological support.
1030 OSC requested contracting personnel 5th CG Dist. on scene ASAP.
1100 Fluorescence analysis determined to be the best method to provide
needed sample analysis. Requested that the appropriate instrument be
dispatched to Manassas by the fastest means possible.
1200 Occoquan Water Monitoring Lab to supply space and support for the
OHMS branch spectrofluorimeter.
1300 Hugh Hanson from OWS on-board to coordinate action levels for kerosene
in drinking water.
1415 RRT meeting. OSC briefed RRT of situation and history of spill.
Booms installed at Reservoir.
Army staff working with Colonial personnel & collecting dead fish.
Approx. 80,000 gal. kerosene estimated in one small cove upstream of
Marina.
Wayne Wilcox - U.S. Navy supplying booms and skimmers.
Monte Lewis - VA Dept. of Health - Water authority is using odor threshold
test by boat/lab crew - 2 yea, 4 no's are results to date.
Colonial Pipeline states that 115,000 gal oil/water collected at
Manassas.
VA SWCB will collect fish (alive) for tissue analysis by FDA. VA Dept.
of Health will ask for a temporary restriction on fishing in reservoir.
Reported that sampling would be done by Occoquan Watershed Monitoring
Lab (OWML) and Versar. Analysis by odor threshold to be done at water
authority, and by fluorimetry at OWML with EPA instrument.
OSC asks RRT to advise on the safety of Colonial Pipeline and possibility
of recurrence.
- 85 -
-------
3/10/80
1600
1620
3/11/80
0900
Meeting with EPA-OWML; SWCB, VA O.E. & E.S., VA SHD, Colonial Pipeline.
Developed a decision matrix for action. What are we going to do at
what concentrations. Hugh Hanson stated that little data was avail-
able on kerosene in drinking water. Cited a 180 ppb study for 90 days
with no effect. 100 ppb was, therefore, established as a level at
which concern would be shown.
Decided:
a. 100 ppb (by odor test or by fluorimetry) at a point 1 day's
travel to the Fairfax Water Authority (FWA) Intake would result
in advisement to FWA to institute activated carbon treatment.
b. Treatability studies would be conducted by OWML.
c. Colonial to supply kerosene for standard for fluoresence.
d. Colonial Pipeline would continue to have Versar Laboratory analyze
using Total Organic/GC method.
e. Hugh Hanson - #2 fuel oil standard tentatively set at 100 ppb.
f. OWML to sample once a day at stations already set up.
OSC meeting.
Spectro fluorimeter on way to aid in analysis.
Statistical analysis shows fish kill within first 2 miles of
Marina. Approximately 4,600 dead fish counted to date.
Food chain damage to be assessed in order to determine damage
to supporting capacity of stream.
Invert Dam to be put into Trib to Bull Run.
SWCB suggests use of water flushing of bank to remove oil from
stream shoreline. Use of sorbents on stream bank to be explored.
To be done by USCG.
State to set priorities of clean up in the immediate area of
original Pipeline rupture.
Prince William County Authorities asked to coordinate citizen's
reports of distressed or dead wildlife.
»
0915 WTP to start activated carbon plant on 3/13 for primary test.
US F & WL report 5 dead beaver, 2 alive. 10 oiled birds - 2 wood
ducks, 3 mallards, 2 gulls - Total 7 dead; 3 alive.
USCG estimates kerosene collected at approx. 96,453 gallons.
1100 0. Lafonara requested that R. Turpin assume sample coordination/
scientific support function.
1200 FWA stated they would initiate activated carbon application as soon
as possible and continue until threat of kerosene contamination was
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3/11/80
1300 Wm. Blankenship, Region III Water Supply Branch, arrived and stated that
no figure had yet been approved as a standard for kerosene in drinking
water. Refused to acknowledge the OSC/National Contingnecy Plan
Structure.
1400 Rich Hoffmann, DOE, on scene
Bill Gregory USCG purchasing acquisition officer on scene.
Permission granted from John C. Doherty, Reg. Dir. State Air Pollution
to burn contaminated debris at the Prince William County landfill.
1430 OSC briefed EPA's M. Cook, ADAA for Emergency Response and K. Biglane,
Chairman NRT. Related sampling, analysis and water supply protection
programs. Toured Bull Run. 7" thick oil behind boom.
1730 Overflight of Bull Run. No activity at the "break" site. Oil
observed to be pooled on the ground.
1800 J. Lafornara informed OSC that inadequate action was being taken
to remove oil behind booms at Bull Run Marina. And no action was
being taken at the "break site".
2015 OSC briefed staff on sampling situation, reported that R. Turpin
would assume the "lead and focal" position as scientific support
coordinator.
2045 J, Lafornara leaves site to return to Edison, N.J,
3/12/80
1330
OSC meeting
Booms deployed at Sandy Run and Fountain Head with skimmer. 180 ppb
kerosene can be consumed for 90 days with apparently no effect on the
average. (100 ppb) based on a 10 Kg. baby.
Heavy sheen down to marina, quite a bit of product behind upper booms.
4 skimmers in operation at marina.
Monte Lewis reported slug has moved 6000 feet since yesterday. Still
has 6 days to WTP intake.
Controversy over deploying Navy skimmer.
SVJCB to be in charge of the Colonial Run cleanup.
U.S. F & WL set up oiled bird rehabilitation center in Fairfax.
Construction of dam is going in phase at break site.
CDR Jensen reports that 96,000 gallons removed on 3/11 and 53,000
gallons on 3/12.
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3/13/80
0830 Lab personnel tasked to determine quantity of activated carbon re-
quired to minimize kerosene in WTP discharge.
Attempt made to coordinate Federal sampling with Colonial sampling.
Morning overflight indicates operation running smoothly, weather not
affecting operation.
150' x 50' collected pocket of oil at Bull's Run Marina
Al Jackson requests API standards for kerosene and any deviation
from this std. of actual material spilled.
Once weather clears, VA Game Commission personnel will be out in
canoes upstream of marina to recheck entire stream and examine
inside Beaver lodges. Estimate 150-200 animals (beaver, mink, alter,
muskrat) in affected area of stream.
. 2 miles upstream of marina large fish kill occurred, fish on bank
and laying on bottom 4-6 inches apart for 1.5 mil-es.
OSC tasked VA State Water Control Board as site coordinator at new
dam and upstream.
OSC tasked Selby Jacobs as site coordinator for disposal of clean-up
material (ex. absorbent), located in Price William County landfill.
Responsibility for Gun Club Site turned over to state.
1330 Once bulk of oil removed at marina area, remove booms at Sandy Point
and Fountainhead, and remove boom at water intake and replace with
absorbent boom.
OSC proposed that AST begin demobilizying Friday through Monday, if
E. Watkins, SWCB, comfortable AST will leave site on Monday.
U.S.C.G. checking oil storage tank for total oil collected.
Samples being taken at 5 Occoquam Reservoir assigned sampling points.
Monitoring continues on 24 hour basis at invert dam.
4 new filter fences installed in unnamed tributary all old filter
fences to be removed.
Clean-up material being stored at PWC landfill, BURNING HAS BEGUN,
2 - 3 WEEKS TO COMPLETE.
No new oiled birds, one oiled beaver sent to National Zoo.
National Zoo will have data on why beavers are dying in 2 - 3 weeks.
OSC will not phase down operation if media projects doubts of comple-
tion of clean-up in the public's mind or any question of danger of
health effects on public.
- 88 -
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3/13/80
1330 OSC tasked R. Turpin with notifying Colonial Pipeline that Colonial/
Versar are not to release lab data to the press.
Army personnel have been taking saturated sorbent out from behind
fences and are working on then removing fences and opening stream.
1800 Meeting held between local and State agencies and OSC regarding
change over of responsibility for supervision of final clean-up
operations.
1930 200 gallons of kerosene remaining to be removed at Bul.l Marina
197,360 gal. of recovered product determined by U.S.C.G.
Colonial wants to add treatolite to collected product to remove
all water, then regauge contained product value,
OSC wants Colonial to recalculate estimate of material spilled
and report back to OSC A.S.A.P.
Another siphon dam being built just upstream of Rte. 234.
Lance Heverly - Dept. of Transportation Office of Operation &
Enforcement, on scene to investigate safety of pipe line that broke.
No conclusions reached, to date.
One live and well beaver captured today.
Gulls going after dead fish below Marina, since no oil in this area,
no longer will try to scare birds from area unless they begin going
to Marina areas.
No VA Park Authority on alert to report any dead fish reports to SWCB.
Unofficial count of 400 dead fish in unnamed tributary to Bull Run.
Burning of clean-up material will be no problem, approval from all
affected regulatory agencies has been given.
No sense of panic or adverse effects in newspaper regarding public
health.
Colonial intends to phase down their large no, of vac. trucks. They
will continue their sweep of river to force any trapped oil downstream.
Will stay on 24 hour alert until all sheens removed from creek.
OSC states "clean-up" costs for oil spills can range from $1 - $20/gal.
not including restoration.
Selby Jackson will be contact between citizens with complaints on
property damage and Colonial.
Aerial photos to be taken at both Manassas and Fredericksburg spills
on 3/14/80.
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3/13/80
1930
3/14/80
0820
1930
Scientific committee - recommends 24 mgl - carbon addition at water
treatment plant.
F.C.W.A. informed of decision to up carbon addition to 25 mg/1.
Lab data inconclusive, some type of interference ruled out.
At 0530 water treatment plant operating at 30 mg/1 powdered carbon.
addition.
At 1900 hr. 3/13/80, sample pt 6 at surface value was 1800 ppb.
Contamination problem found for data collected on 3/12/80. All data
for this day considered to be no good.
Data generated night of 3/14/80 has been analyzed at Edison Lab.
They report readings are erroneous, on the high side.
1 gal. sample from intake and 1 gal. sample from effluent of water
treatment plant to be analyzed at Edison, N.J.
Mr. Gay has stated that he's confident that his plant can handle any
kerosene intrusion into his water intake system.
Hourly monitoring of water plant intake for odor. Once odor noticed
at intake monitoring of odor at effluent will begin. If odor detected
decision will be made whether to continue supplying water.
Hazleton Labs found as potential back up to Versar.
FDA tissue analysis will be ready on Monday, 3/17/80.
Kerosene 4000' upstream from water plant intake.
Versar states at 180 ppb kerosene people won't drink water because of
bad taste.
Aerial photos taken between 1315 and 1445 indicate considerable
runoff and sheen about a mile below Bull Run Marina.
No more than 50 gal left at Bull Run Marina site.
Sorbent boom backed by floating boom placed downstream of Bull Run
Marina to try and catch sheen.
Absorbent boom also placed just upstream of booms at Bull Run Marina to
capture sheen.
Crews are trying to remove debris as it's caught in boom. No large
debris noticed.
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3/14/80
1930
3/15/80
1315
30GC gal. of wet product removed at Dam site at confluence unnamed
creek and Bull Run.
1500 gal. of wet product removed at Dam site just upstream of Rte. 234
before high flows from runoff breached this dam.
State health people are not presently concerned about herring moving
upstream in Occoquan and encountering kerosene,
13,000 IDS. of clean-up material burned on 3/13/80. No problems
being encountered with burning operation.
By 1200 hr. 3/16/80 Colonial will provide reestimate of total spill
volume.
New sorbent boom placed at harbor boom 2000' below Marina.
At water intake new sorbent boom placed in front of harbon boom.
Debris still being removed from booms.
One oiled beaver captured last night. Necropsy of oiled beaver con-
firms liver damage as cause of death.
As of 1200 hours 203,958 gal oil/water mixture recovery estimate by
Colonial.
New sorbent boom placed at harbor boom 2000' below Marina.
At water intake new sorbent boom placed in front of harbor boom.
Debris still being removed from booms.
One oiled beaver captured last night. Necropsy of oiled beaver confirms
liver damage as cause of death.
Results of sample sent to Edison N.J. on 3/14 are negative based on
detection level of 50 ppb
Sampling program * twice a day, morning & afternoon by team of Versar
and water authority. Sampling at 2k and 20' depths.
Versar to do TCO test.
Water authority - taste and odor and TOC tests.
Separate sampling by EPA to do fluorescent analysis to evaluate water
column contamination.
Water authority - taste and odor testing reveals leading edge of
kerosene 2000 - 3000' from intake. Now using 50 ppm carbon.
Water authority - projecting contaminant hit water intake area at 1700
or 1800 hours. 3/15/80.
Oil soaked debris spotted entrapped in several cove areas 1/2 mile up-
stream of Bull Run Marina.
By 1600 hours 2 Navy booms will be removed and Army personnel pulled
out. - 01 _
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3/15/80
1315 Next sounding of product recovery tanks by U.S.C.G. will be Sunday
3/16/80.
Colonial requested to repair dam just upstream of 234 and remove
collected product at dam and place sorbent material at dam.
Unofficial total of 12 dead beavers to date. State Game Commission
still projecting total kill of fur bearing animals on river. Two
deal oiled birds found yesterday.
Eagles reported in spill area, however no problems expected.
3/16/80
0830
0900
0925
Slug of kerosene moving through the reservoir system reached the water
intakes at the dam on Staurday evening - Sunday morning, (3/15-3/16).
The data generated by the Health Department at their consolidated labs in
Richmond did not coordinate well within the TCO data generated by Versar.
However, the concentration of kerosene in the finished water indicated
no detectable kerosene either by the State lab or Versar.
Overflight indicates boom at dam just below WTP is damaged and pinned
against intake.
Sheen from Gun Club to Marina.
Work needs to be performed in cove immediately above Bull Run marina.
I
Problem identified with the Versar sampling team in that they were
sampling from the most contaminated to the least contaminated sampling
stations raising some questions concerning their capabilities and the
reliability of their past data-.
Meeting
OSC tasks VA Water Control Board and-Atlantic Strike Team as on-scene
coordinator, in his abscence.
WTP reports no odor in finished water.
WTP using 2-3 safety factor for doseage of carbon.
Overflight determined that the area adjacent to the soccer field (approx
mile above marina) was top priority clean-up location.
o S,tates Product collected to date from Manassas is'
£40,000 gal .
Peak odors below Fountainhead.
Based on odor test, appears now that for the latest slug of kerosene
9°ne °ver the dam w1t
.in°debri?!
st111 has Product
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3/16/80
0925 2 vac. trucks will remain on scene at Bull Run Marina just in case
needed.
Atlantic Strike Team Command Post moved out due to oil spill in Miss.
River AST now down to 3 personnel.
All booms presently -in place to remain.
Oil soaked debris removal has priority over boom replacement.
\
3rd dam completed on east side of rte 234.
OSC to leave site on 3/16/80.
State geologist to study ground in area of pipe break to establish need
for further oil' removal. ..
RRT meeting to be held in Manassas on 3/20.
Sampling protocol worked out and coordination begun with Versar and
Carl Lieberman to get them to use the same sampling stations and in
fact the same sampling boat. Sampling program consisted of collecting
two samples a day at various depths at preselected sample stations.
Scientific coordinator now relying on TCO method as primary method for
hard decisions. Taste and odor tests to be used as quick-turnaround
relative indication of the presence of the leading edge of the slug of
oil as it proceeded through the reservoir system.
VA WCB & AST to determine & maintain long term recovery points.
(Placement of static booms & sorbent booms).
Mobile command post to remain for time being.
Damage Assessment Task Force - ERT to coordinate this and determine 311
activities that can be funded for this.
Scope of work to be set up to evaluate available & needed resources.
U.S. F & WL considering performing impact assessment study at Patuxent
Wildlife Research Lab, Laurel, MD to assess effect of sea gulls feeding
on contaminated .f-ish.
1400 On 3/15 odors noted in raw water supply to water treatment plant
1430 OSC left siteTto return to PhiladelpKIo.
1500 Contacted Bob Zebulkis, OSC Fredricksburg, informed him that we needed
Mason & Hanger command Post Trailer as soon as it was no longer needed
in Fredricksburg.
,800" Odor increased and stayed this way thrown night, however, no odors
after carbon adsorption.
20 ppm'break'
0-3 ^
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3/16/80
1800
Treatment plant now has adequate storage and supply of carbon.
**Water authority has special account set up for costs incurred due to
spill.
Health Dept. states that if breakthrough occurs at water plant even after
100 ppm carbon addition immediate considerations will be given to shut
down the plant.
Soil sampled around pipe break site.
Colonial begun working cove just upstream of Marina to remove oil
trapped debris.
4 filter fences on unnamed tributary removed.
Pit at break site to be pumped out again.
Colonial reports reestimate of 336,000 gal. total spill for 35.6 mile
of pipe line, (distance between breaks Manassas & Fredricksburg). This
is increase of 169,000 gal. over previous estimate for Manassus.
1830 U.S.C.6., SWCB, & EPA notified Colonial that they expect J & L to provide
better performance on clean up of oil entrapped debris in coves upstream
of Bull Run Manna or new contractor will be brought in "P^ream
f i that C°lonial have a contingency plan that can be put into
& L crew does not produce positive results by "1000 hrs., 3/17.
3/17/80
0850
EPA l;ab data now being given in ppb total fluorescent organics.
EPA data for 3/16/80 indicates present slug of kerosene moving downstream
towards water treatment plant is already partially past Occoquan Dam.
Versar data also tends to indicate kerosene slug already begun passing dam.
State Lab in Richmond reports that samples taken 3/16/80, 0730 hrs. show in-
fluent to WTP plant - 350 ppb kerosene \ effluent - not detectable.
Damage assessment task force to meet again tomorrow.
6 - 12 sea gulls that are eating dead fish to be shot today for analysis
to assess damage to birds, if any, from eating the contaminated fish.
Weather; raining with heavy rain expected for this afternoon.
Operation at cove greatly improved today. Have requested aid from Dave
Brown, Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority, for removal of large
wooden debris.
Joint effort today by Colonial & U.S.C.G. to make new gauging of
product recovery tanks.
Debris still trapped against booms - removal to continue.
New sorbent material to be placed at all 3 dams on unnamed tributary.
SWCB on alert for possible fish kill downstream of Occoquan Dam
-------
3/17/80
0850 on 3/18/80 canoe trip beginning at unnamed trip confluence will be
undertaken to evaluate spill area down to Marina. Will also note wildlife
situation and any unidentified remaining pockets of oil or oil entrapped
debris.
Last aerial photos to be taken on 3/19 so as to be available
for RRT meeting.
Damage Assessment Task Force conference to be field at 0900 on 3/18/80.
to define preliminary scope of work.
FDA fish tissue analysis to be available on 3/18.
State WCB geologist on scene evaluating potential groundwater contamination.
Sea gull shooting put off till tomorrow.
Static boom locations:
1) Bull Run Marina - upstream of bridge - harbor & sorbent boom
- downstream " - sorbent boom
2) 1000' below Marina - leave harbor & sorbent booms presently there
in place.
3) Gun Club - sorbent boom
4) Old Centreville Road C616) - sorbent boom
5) Water Plant Intake - harbor & sorbent booms
6) Maintain 3 dams on unnamed tributary.
Federal cost as of 3/14/80 estimated to be $183,000. Using $35/day
room & expenses for personnel.
Boom debris removal going'real good. Removal operations at cove going
real good.
Coast Guard boom being removed, to be replaced by Colonial boom.
Product Recovery:
Colonial Utility Tank 160,566 gallons
Texaco Tank 110,670 "
Chantilly 16.884 "
Total 288,120 "
OSC has requested increase in ceiling of pollution fund for Manassas,
VA. to $300,000.
Steve Dorrler and Tom Grizzard recommended that sediment sampling be
undertaken.
Dr. Dean, Pr. Wm. Co. Health Dept. advised of local concern for around
water contamination
- 95 -
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3/18/80
0815 Geologist for SWCB proposes to set up series of monitoring wells to eval-
uate groundwater contamination using existing private water supply wells
and drill any new wells as needed.
Clean-up of large cove very close to completion.
AST & SWCB to set up program of long term monitoring and operations.
Conference on damage assessment held today encompassing all interested
agencies, federal, state and local.
1030 Colonial states that failure of pipeline at Manassas was due to
corrosion.
On 3/17/80, 3 loads of contaminated material (5.6 tons) taken to
landfill.
1800 Steve Dorrler, ERT, left scene to return to Edison, N.J.
Wayne Jackson reports that Colonial is doing a good job in the big
cove.
1550 Overflight reveals that Bull Run apparently returning to pre spill
condition, 5 mallards observed swimming in creek.
1700 Wayne Jackson turned OSC responsibilities over to SWCB personnel.
Situation 3/26/80
3/19/80
0900 2000' of boom now in place
2nd largest cove has been cleaned
3rd cove to be cleaned today ,.
Colonial to put up fence which meets PWC reqmts. around dam at
confluence unnamed trib. and Bull Run.
Beaver and muskrat carcasses to Patuxent Lab for hydrocarbon
analysis.
*
Canoe trip today.
RRT meeting to be held tomorrow at 2:00.
1700 All 5 static boom locations still being maintained.
Lower dam on unnamed trib still maintaining integrity.
Light sheen noticeable just upstream of marina.
Decision made not to go into cove area with a backhoe and dig out
contaminated soil since we could create a worse environmental
situation than what we now have.
- 96 -.
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3/20/80
RRT meeting held to discuss future plans.
Water Treatment Plant requested help on disposing of PAC sludge
in treatment plants.
3/21/80
1000 Tom Massey left site to return to Philadelphia,
FDA's John Dietrick called and advised no kerosene detected in
fish tissue samples from all 3 stations for detection limit of
1 ppm.
1730 Colonial reports fencing at lacge dam completed, boom replaced,
sorbents changed at all 3 dams.
3/24/80
At Bull Run Marina very little sheen was observed behind the booms.
A large site of debris had been pulled from behind the booms.
SWCB advised Colonial that depending on tomorrows overflight and a
check with local government, they would probably allow the booms to
be pulled out.
3/25/80
Overflight shows downstream of the cove, very strong rainbow.
Cove area looked good.
Colonial advised that booms not to be removed until sheen was
less strong.
3/26/80
Water authority is still collecting samples although the frequency is
now once per day. Versar is not running anything. 20 ppm of PAC is
still being added to the treatment plant.
Colonial advised they can remove booms from stream tomorrow but to keep
them around for a week because of the Park Authority interest in oiled
debris at Fountainhead marina. Also advised to leave in large dam for
a couple of weeks.
SWCB contacting local agencies for input on water quality, if no objection
static booms and dam to be removed.
SWCB monitoring booms daily.
Colonial has begun contacting people whose property affected due to spill
and/or clean-up including No. Va. Park Authority.
- Sampling and analysis program continuing
Water treatment plant considering ending activated carbon treatment.
Incineration operation for oil soaked debris continuing at Prince William
County Landfill.
- 97 -
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3/27/80
3/31/80
4/1/80
4/2/80
4/3/80
1350
4/8/80
State geologist recommend that contaminated soil in spill site area
be removed down to 2 inches.
Tom Massey discussed 311 studies and assessment of long term damage.
OSC attended NRT meeting
All containment booms out
Little visible sheen observed at Bull Run Marina.
Woodward & Clyde Associates hired by EPA to assess extent of contamination
under Sect. 311 funding.
No sheen noticeable.
Lower Dam staying until contaminated earth around break site removed. .
P.W.C. personnel to monitor earth removal and dam stability and water
quality marina area.
Occoquan Lab now performing sampling on once a week basis.
Water Treat Plant still adding carbon (20 ppm).
Groundwater contamination study and sediment contamination analysis
to be performed.
Shoreline survey for vegetation damage to be studied.
Pitt Oil Inc. has bought recovered product from Manassas
Robb St.
McKees Rock, Pa. 15136
412-777-3900 (Fred Grove) . -
Started hauling it out on,4/2/80
OSC spoke with Al Millet, RRT rep Virginia WCB concerning Extent of
Contamination meeting on 4/9/80.
Colonial in the process of removing soil on the East side of rt 234.
State Health Dept. reports March 22 was the last time FCWA detected an
odor at the intake. Also reported March 28 as the date when carbon feed
was discontinued.
4/9/80
Field Surveillance shows at west side of Rt 234 oil is still bleeding
out, slight sheen is present.
East side of 234 ground had been scraped.
Large pit on west side of 234, oil and water observed, needs to be
pumped.
At large dam; a sheen was present.
no
-------
4/9/80
LOG TERMINATED SUBSEQUENT INFORMATION NOT CONSIDERED PERTINENT TO
BASIS OSC LOG ENTRIES DURING INITIAL EMERGENCY.
Thomas I. Massey
Federal On-Scene Coordinator
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