MEMORANDUM
DATE:
July31,
1997
TO:
OCS/ERU
~ringfield
FROM:
Tom Pow~JOCS/ERUCollinsville
SUBJECT:
Marion Co.
-
Wamac/Mezo
1EMA971159-CrudeOilSpill-6130197
On June 30,
1997,
Ms. Marion Suhi, the Wamac Village Clerk,
contacted the
Collinsville Bur~aLiof Water Pollution.
She
indicated that a
crude
oil
spill
had impacted
Fulton Creek
within the Village.
The Bureau of Water inspector suggested that she
contact IEMA to report the incident.
Ms.
SuhI reported the incident to (EMA at 2:34
p.m. on June
30, at which time she
stated that one (1) mile of Fulton Creek
was impacted with oil.
At 4:36
on June
30th, John
Prior,
the alleged operator,
reported the same incident to
IEMA.
Although he did indicate that the release did include water involvement,’ Mr.
Prior never indicated the extent of the surface water involvement.
This inspector attempted to contact the Illinois
Dept. of Natural Resources
(IDNR)
Mines & Minerals
in Centralia for details.
Mr. Alan Whitler provided directions and said
that one of his inspectors has been at the site.
On July 1,
1997, a site visit
was
conducted by Cheryl
Kelley and this inspector.
Village
ofWamac drainage and,
in particular,
the spill area drainage enters Fulton Creek.
While observing
impacted portions of Fulton Creek, we met Lawrence Bengal, Alan
Whitler and a legal counsel representative from
lDNR-~-Mines
& Minerals.
(Mr. Bengal
and the attorney were
in
the vicinity on unrelated business).
During our observations with IDNR--Mines
& Minerals, the following was observed
and/or discussed:
•
No oil collection activities within
Fulton Creek or Sewer Creek were occurring.
•
No sorbent booms were deployed.
•
Straw bales were originally
in
place at the actual spill site and within Fulton
Creek at lrvington
Road
(Photos 8 &
9).
However, at lrvington
Road, the
bales
were washed away due to the current within the
creek.
Recoverable oil
was
observed upon the creek and within the eddies at this location.
PEOPLE’S
I
:J
EXHIBIT
15
~
)~—/77
Marion
Co.
-.
Wamac/Mezo
.
Page 2
IEMA 971159- Crude Oil Spill
-
6/30/97
•
Oil stains upon the sidewalls of Fulton Creek,
on Jefferson Street, west of the
railroad yard indicated the water had receded approximately.
1.5
-
2.5 feet since
the spill
occurred.
•
‘
Oil residue was observed by inspectors Kelley and Powell throughout Fulion
Creek.
.
•
Mr. Whitler stated that the area experienced a significant thunderstorm around
6:00
,p.rn.
on June 30th.
•
Whitler acknowledged the oil
was
visible within Sewer Creek,
approximately 2.5
miles downstream.
•
It
was
stated that John
Prior,
due to his history, is not allowed to obtain
IDNR—
Mines & Minerals permits.
(During our visit it was unknown
wfio
held the ID~1R
permit).
•
John Prior maintains this well and its associated tank battery for James Mezo.
•
One well
is dedicated to this tank battery.
•
Whitler stated John Prior was observed
on a “bobcat” working on the tank
battery berms the evening of June 30.
It was apparent the berms were
not
•
adequate for the
size of the tanks.
Prior~s
priority was
to improve the tank berms
rather than recover oil from
the creek.
Oil stains were observed throughout the Mezo/Oestreich tank battery both on.
and off site (Photos 1-7).
Straw bales .and peat moss were observed
in the area
as well as oil
within the drainage ditch that enters Fulton
Creek.
Recoverable ‘oil
was
observed within this ditch.
•
Crude oil
odors were noticeable via olfacfory methods in the vicinity of the spill
as well as at the downstream
locations where photos were taken.
In summary,
Prior reported that 50 bbl of crude oil
was
released from
a 210 bbl bank.
IDNR--Mines & Minerals claim
that he
is ineligible to hold Mines & Minerals permits.
No recovery, within any of the waterways, took place.
Initially,
Prior attempted to
improve containment,
by improving the tank berms.
It appears recovery of the
oil, via
sorbents or vacuum units impacting the waterways was not considered.
Prior did
attempt to improve dike containment sothat oil--within containment— could
be
recovered.
U
•
•
•
•
Marion Co.
-
Warnac/Mezo
Page 3
IEMA 971159
-
Crude Oil
Spill
-
6/30/97
It is suspected that a tank or tanks within the Oestreich #1 tank battery are ~.tjil
leaking.
Referring to similar photos taken on July 1st and July 22nd, a considerable amount of
oil was pooled upon the ground during the
later date, while
it appeared
as though the
area had been vacuumed of oil on our July 1, 1997 visit.
•
.
•
•
TEP:pbo/mezo
•
•
cc: OCS
-
Collinsville
•
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DLC
-
John Waligore
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INSPECTIONPHOTOS
DATE:
7-1-1997
SITE
#:
CO.:
MARION/WAMAC
TIME:
12
NOON
SITE NAME:
MEZO OIL COMPANY
PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN
BY:
CLK
I
/
COMMENTS:
Pictures taken
toward:
IEMA ?~
971159
CRUDE OIL
ROLL#:
OCS
196
PHOTO#:
1
DATE:
7-1-1997
TIME:
12NOON
PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN
BY:
CLK
(~/
/(~JL~,
COMMENTS:
Pictures taken
toward:
-
JEMA #971159
ROLL#:
OCS
196
PHOTO#:
2
•
•
4
‘I
~
•
‘
:jI b
INSPECTION PHOTOS
DATE:
7-1-1997
SITE#:
CO.:
MARION/WAMAC
TIME:
12:04
SITE NAME:
MEZO OIL COMPANY
PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN
BY:
CLK
~
//~~
COMMENTS:
Pictures taken
toward:
IEMA #971159
ROLL#:
OCS
196
PHOTO#:
3
DATE:
7-1-1997
TIME:
12:08
PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN
BY:
CLK
~/
COMMENTS: Pictures taken
toward:
IEMA #971159
DRAINAGE TO CREEK
ROLL#:
OCS 196
PHOTO#: 4
FOS
INSPECTION PHOTOS
DATE:
7-1-1997
SITE#:
CO.:
MARION/WAMAC
TIME:
12:10
SITE
NAME:
MEZO OIL COMPANY
PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN
BY:
CLK
~‘_
I
/6~/~
/
1’
7
COMMENTS:
Pictures taken
toward:
IEMA #971159
FIRE WALL WITH OIL SUMP
ROLL#:
OCS 196
PHOTO#:
5
DATE:
7-1-1997
TIME:
12:15
PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN
BY:
CLK
~
COMMENTS:
Pictures taken
toward:
IEMA
#971159
OIL RUNOFF TO DITCH
-
ROLL#:
OCS 196
PHOTO#:
6
-
~-‘•-,~
~
FOS
:jIb
INSPECTIONPHOTOS
DATE:
7-1-1997
SITE
#:
CO.: MARION/WAMAC
TIME:
12:20
SITE
NAME:
MEZO OIL COMPANY
PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN
BY:
CLK
COMMENTS:
Pictures taken
toward:
IEMA #971159
ROLL#:
OCS
196
PHOTO#:
7
DATE:
7-1-1997
TIME:
12:35
COMMENTS:
Pictures taken
toward:
IEMA#
971159
ROLL#:
OCS 196
PHOTO#: 8
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•
.•
FOS
:jI b
INSPECTIONPHOTOS
DATE:
7-1-1997
SITE #:
CO.: MARION/WAMAC
TIME:
12:35
SITE
NAME:
MEZO OIL COMPANY
PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN
BY:
IP
COMMENTS:
Pictures taken
toward:
IEMA #971159
ROLL#:
OCS 196
PHOTO#: 9
DATE:
7-1-1997
TIME:
12:50
PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN
BY:
CLK
/(!~2&~/
COMMENTS:
Pictures taken
toward:
IEMA #971159
ROLL#: OCS 196
PHOTO#:
10
--a-
FOS
:jIb
