HUNTINGTON, W.Va. –The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has taken steps to stop the flow of mineral oil from an Appalachain Power substation which has now reached the Guyandotte River and R.D. Bailey Lake in southern West Virginia.
Cleanup teams have been working to contain the oil spil which occured on Clear Fork in Wyoming County January 29th. Booms were installed to contain the spill and absorbent pads were being used to remove the oil. The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection at the time indicated they had the spill contained. However, in recent days increased stream flow and damage to the containment booms allowed the oil to spread downstream into the river and is now approaching R.D. Bailey Lake.
“I wouldn’t say it’s covered in oil, there’s a sheen and the furtherest down in the lake would be past a place that we call Cup Creek,” Reserve Manager for RD Bailey Lake Brian Morgan said.
He said they noticed the sheen around the third week in February. Morgan said the snow and ice, then the warming period, and then the element of participation flushed the oil into the lake.
He said they currently have the lake closed to boat traffic.
“We don’t want fisherman and boaters having to interact with those boom systems and possibly dragging contamination further out on the lake and into places its not already been exposed too,” Morgan said.
He said they hope the oil is cleaned up by the beginning of April.
“Because wind, temperature, and water movement continually shift, equipment is being repositioned and adjusted to maintain effectiveness. Residents may continue to see surface sheen during cleanup operations. This is expected, as mineral oil floats and can separate into thin layers across the water surface,” said the Corps in a press release.
Containment booms have not been installed on the lake and will be monitored daily. Absorbent pads will be replaced as needed. Protective booms have also been place daround the dam’s intake structure while water is released from deep below the surface at the dam.
“The material released is a highly refined, PCB-free mineral oil commonly used to cool electrical transformers and other equipment. Environmental crews will remain onsite and continue recovery operations to minimize impacts to waterways and wildlife. WVDEP continues to oversee the cleanup and is sampling throughout the watershed and lake to track cleanup progress. The lake’s boat ramps will remain closed to the public as cleanup efforts continue. Updates and additional information will be provided if conditions change. If you see oil, report sightings to apcocleanup@aep.com.”