SPRINGFIELD – The estimate of the Madison County crude oil release on Friday, March 11, 2022, in a crude oil spill from a pipeline, which impacted Cahokia Creek, is 3,000 barrels or 165,000 gallons.
The spill occurred near Illinois Route 143 and Old Alton-Edwardsville Road in Edwardsville.
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The National Response Center and Illinois Emergency Management Agency received the initial reports regarding the crude oil release.
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) has referred an enforcement action to the Illinois Attorney General’s Office against Marathon Pipe Line LLC (Marathon) for a release of crude oil from a pipeline near Edwardsville (Madison County). The referral cites violations of the Illinois Environmental Protection Act and the Illinois Pollution Control Board’s regulations.
The Marathon pipeline runs parallel to Cahokia Creek, and the release was observed flowing out of the bank on the creek along the pipeline right-of-way. Emergency responders were notified, and representatives from Illinois EPA and U.S. EPA arrived on site.
Marathon Pipe Line responded to the incident saying in a statement, “MPL’s top priorities are to ensure the safety of responders, the community and to limit the environmental impact as we respond to the release.”
Several sets of booms have since been deployed in the creek, both skirted and absorbent boom. Additional deployments are planned. At this time, the crude oil is contained in the creek. Vac trucks are recovering products at several locations. Marathon and U.S. EPA are establishing air monitoring near the site. The investigation and remediation at the site continue.
The referral asks the Attorney General’s Office to represent the Illinois EPA to ensure that Marathon completely remediates the release and coordinates with Illinois EPA, as well as federal and local agencies, to implement appropriate compliance measures. Those compliance measures include, but are not limited to, removing all product in any affected waterway; assessing the integrity of the pipelines and repair as necessary; investigating and fully delineating the extent of the spill to both soil and groundwater, and submitting and implementing a corrective action plan as necessary.
The EPA has referred the incident over to the attorney general to oversee the cleanup of the land and water. The agency said MPL violated the Illinois Environmental Protection Act and the Illinois Pollution Control Board’s regulations.
Additionally, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) deployed a team of three investigators to the scene.
