VERTEX was retained to conduct a claim investigation and review invoicing of incurred costs associated with the surface release of approximately 26,500-gallons of gasoline from a failed subsurface product transmission pipeline on leased, privately owned, mixed use residential and agricultural property. The pipeline failure was identified via a pipeline monitoring system. Investigation of the product release revealed product flowing from a concrete vault associated with pipeline control valves that migrating across surface soil into two nearby stormwater drainage ditches on either side of a rural highway in the site area. The drainage ditches flow into several downstream ecologically significant tributaries and bay which include salmon habitat and other sensitive wildlife. Approximately 2.5 to 3 miles of downstream waterbodies were impacted. A local elementary school was initially closed due to the possible exposure and health risks to vapors from the released gasoline. The release was found to be the result of a failure of piping connected to a pressure sensor within the vault. Since a prior diesel fuel release had occurred at the Site in 1985, VERTEX was asked to opine on the source and timing of the release and whether there was commingling of the subject loss with the historical release, as well as the reasonableness of the incurred emergency response costs.
The release involved regulatory oversight from multiple local, state, and federal agencies, as well as two American Indian groups, who mobilized to the Site and operated at the Site under a Unified Command. The Insured retained multiple remedial contractors to perform the following activities: installation absorbent and maintenance booms across the ditches and downstream waterbodies; recovery of approximately 5,000-gallons of product from the concrete vault; product skimming within the adjacent and downstream waterbodies; removal of a large area of impacted vegetation including approximately 300 trees; installation of sheet piling and a cofferdam along the banks of the waterbodies; installation of upstream fish netting to prevent further fish travel into the affected areas; excavation of soil and sediment from the release area and banks of the impacted water bodies for offsite disposal; air monitoring; soil, sediment, potable well, surface water, and groundwater sampling; and completion of risk assessment actions. Ongoing actions currently include ongoing monitoring, natural resource assessment, and site restoration activities.
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