Clatskanie diesel spill gets attention of Oregon DEQ

Last month near Clatskanie, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) investigated a report of "strong fuel-like odors emitted from Columbia County's rock quarry due to a suspected release of gasoline or diesel to the ground," according to DEQ Northwest Region Public Affairs Specialist Michael Loch. "We discovered that soil contaminated with diesel was placed at the rock quarry," said Loch. "The contamination originated from a diesel leak caused by an equipment failure at the county's public works yard. The contaminated soil was then moved to the rock quarry." Located outside Clatskanie in the Quincy area, the rock quarry to which the contaminated soil was moved is situated above the "sensitive Beaver Watershed," according to Clatskanie resident Heidi Thompson.

As efforts to clean the contaminated soil have been set in motion, Columbia County Public Information Officer Mark Pacheco said, "Columbia County worked directly with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality to investigate the incident and implement a cleanup plan. Impacted soil was excavated and removed under DEQ oversight, and soil sampling is underway to confirm cleanup effectiveness. The County will continue to cooperate fully with DEQ as that process continues."

According to Loch, the contaminated soil was removed on Monday, Feb. 9, and DEQ "has been in contact with the resident who reported the issue." Moving forward, Loch said, "DEQ has not determined whether an enforcement action including a civil penalty is warranted. Each case is evaluated individually based on the specific facts, applicable state statutes and rules, and the corrective actions taken. While DEQ may assess daily penalties in some cases, no enforcement determination has been made regarding this incident at this time. DEQ will also work with Columbia County to provide additional guidance and training on Oregon's spill response requirements to help prevent similar incidents in the future."