AIPG-TX WEBINAR ANNOUNCEMENT – April 15th Noon.
Tuesday, April 15th, at 12 noon Central Time
A LECTURE BY
MARK JOHNSON
“A MEASURED APPROACH IN REMEDIATING A GASOLINE SPILL IMPACTING A WETLAND WITHIN YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK”
Abstract:
In August 2022, a fuel tanker overturned in Yellowstone National Park releasing 4,800 gallons of gasoline, impacting an adjacent alpine wetland. Gasoline flowed 1,000 feet through the wetland toward Grayling Creek, a pristine tributary of the Madison River. Gasoline also percolated into the road embankment and accumulated as free product in coarse ballast beneath the highway. The spill location is a complex intersection of saturated wetland, roadbed fill materials, and fluvial deposits. Immediate emergency response actions (including limited soil excavation, fuel recovery via skimmers and absorbent materials, and product recovery sump installation) mitigated impact to Grayling Creek and exposure to sensitive receptors.
Recovered gasoline and contaminated media was managed as hazardous waste. Agency oversight includes the EPA, Yellowstone National Park, the National Park Service, the Wyoming DEQ, and the Montana DEQ. The regulatory framework includes the Clean Water Act, the National Contingency Plan, RCRA, Wyoming statutory clean-up standards, and Yellowstone National Park Special Use Permit requirements. The location within Yellowstone National Park, and necessity of balancing preservation of wetland ecology against emergency response actions, posed multiple challenges that prevented aggressive remediation methods including heavy equipment operation and introduction of chemical amendments in wetland areas.
Recognition of the reliance on wetland ecology to aid remediation efforts required understanding of the complex flow dynamics in the wetland and monitoring of hydrologic, chemical, and biological processes. A network of surface-water sampling points, staff gauges, seepage meters, monitoring wells, and hand-driven piezometers was established. Findings indicate groundwater flow and contaminant transport are strongly influenced by seasonal run-off, surface-water/groundwater interaction, and even wildlife. Biodegradation indicators (DO, nitrate, sulfate, Fe (II), Mn (II), methane, ORP) suggest aerobic degradation and iron reduction are active processes. Long-term remedial alternatives under consideration include continued free-product recovery, pulsed air sparging/soil vapor extraction, closed-circuit groundwater filtration, and natural source zone depletion.
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COST (Includes certificate for 0.1 ceu/1.0 PDH):
AIPG Members: $10.
Non-Members: $25.
AIPG Student Members: Free.
Other Students: $5.00.
All proceeds go towards the AIPG-TX Scholarship Fund.