Rain-Related Fuel Spill in Reeds Spring Calls for DNR Cleanup

First posted on 07-03-2008

Heavy rains in Stone County on Saturday led to the release of an undetermined amount of fuel from a former gas station site, the Department of Natural Resources reported today.

A state on-scene coordinator with the department’s Environmental Emergency Response section was on site Saturday in Reeds Spring to oversee the cleanup at the former Amoco Smoke House gas station. At least one of several above-ground fuel storage tanks at the site overturned when heavy rains in the area filled the containment area, lifting the tank off the ground.

Because the station has been closed for several years, it was not known how much fuel was in the upended tank or in any of the other tanks in the containment area. However, department staff noticed a strong petroleum odor and a significant sheen both inside and outside the containment area.

The department, working with environmental cleanup contractor Sunbelt Environmental out of Springfield, has recovered more than 2,500 gallons of petroleum-contaminated water from the containment area and secured the tanks. The Missouri Department of Agriculture, which oversees above-ground storage tanks in Missouri, has also been called to the site.

From July 1, 2006, through June 30, 2007, petroleum products accounted for 43 percent of materials released during environmental emergencies.

The department’s Environmental Emergency Response section is called to the scene of more than 300 emergencies each year, including fires, traffic accidents, leaking storage tanks and other incidents that could have a negative environmental impact. The department’s 24-hour spill line receives more than 1,600 incident reports annually.

To report an environmental emergency, including fuel spills, please contact the spill line at
573-634-2436. For more information, contact the Department of Natural Resources at 800-361-4827 or 573-751-3443 or visit the department’s Web page at http://www.dnr.mo.gov.