EPA completes oil spill cleanup at Duck Creek in Toledo, Ohio
For Immediate Release No. 20-OPA-029
EPA completes oil spill cleanup at Duck Creek in Toledo, Ohio
TOLEDO, Ohio. (May 13, 2020) - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), announced it had completed a time-critical oil spill cleanup at Duck Creek, a tributary of the Maumee River. The spill was caused by two abandoned pipelines leaking near York St. and Collins Park Ave. in Toledo, that released oil into the surrounding soils and into a storm sewer that leads to Duck Creek.
“We thank the City of Toledo and Ohio EPA for their assistance in completing this oil spill cleanup,” said EPA Region 5 Administrator Kurt Thiede. “Oil spills can endanger public health, imperil the environment and drinking water, and affect local economies.”
“Ohio appreciate U.S. EPA’s assistance in this cleanup because the oil spill was cleaned up promptly through multi-agency and local coordination,” said Ohio EPA Director Laurie A. Stevenson.
On Sept. 16, 2019, the City of Toledo and Ohio EPA responded to an oil sheen and oil discharge into Duck Creek. The city removed the two abandoned underground pipelines that were determined to be the source of the oil.
EPA took over cleanup activities on Oct. 15. The Agency’s cleanup activities included removing an abandoned storm sewer line, removing 167 tons of contaminated soil and replacing it with 180 tons of clean gravel, and disposing of an estimated 2,400 gallons of mixed oil and water.
The total cleanup cost was approximately $150,000, of which approximately $120,000 was reimbursable cost incurred by the city. The city’s expenses to respond to this spill will be reimbursed by the National Pollution Fund Center managed by the U.S. Coast Guard.
Members of the public can help protect the environment by identifying and reporting environmental violations. For more information:
https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/report-environmental-violation-general-information.
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