Below is a news release from the City of Pocatello.
POCATELLO — According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, local, state, and federal clean-up crews working to recover the mineral oil spilled into Pocatello Creek have found about 3,700 gallons of oil mixed with water and an estimated 1,100 pounds of oil. The oily wreckage was recovered.
Since arriving at the scene, the crew has prevented a large oil stream from impacting the Portneuf River. The spill was reported to authorities on November 2nd.
During an investigation by the EPA, Virginia Transformers Corporation (VTC) confirmed that the oil originated at its own facility. The company estimates that up to 6,000 gallons were released from railcars into storm sewers connected to Pocatello Creek. The cause of the release is under investigation.
VTC is financially and operationally responsible for the ongoing cleanup efforts resulting from last week’s mineral oil spill into Pocatello Creek.
The EPA has had an emergency response since Thursday, Nov. 3, focused primarily on removing oil from the creek. Now that VTC has assumed financial responsibility, the EPA will work with the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality and the City of Pocatello to transition to an oversight role, and Pocatello will continue to ensure effective decontamination continues at Creek and the facility. to Officials hope the emergency phase of the cleanup will be completed by early next week, at which point the cleanup will transition to the long-term remediation phase. This stage of cleanup is expected to last several weeks or longer.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact City Public Works Commissioner Jeff Mansfield at (208) 234-6212 or Bill Dunbar at EPA at (206) 245-7452.
