News Releases from Region 10

EPA cites Longview, WA, Oil company for spill prevention and control violations

Settlement agreement includes installation of upgraded spill detection system

EPA cites Longview, WA, Oil company for spill prevention and control violations

Settlement agreement includes installation of upgraded spill detection system

(Seattle) - EPA has settled with Wilson Oil, Inc., (doing business as Wilcox & Flegel Oil Co.) for alleged Clean Water Act spill prevention violations at its Longview Terminal facility in Longview, Washington. 

EPA determined after a 2015 inspection that the company had failed to implement an adequate Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure Plan and lacked adequate secondary containment for large oil storage tanks in one of the Terminal’s tank farms. Since the inspection, the company constructed new secondary containment for that tank farm and upgraded their SPCC plan. 

As part of the settlement, the Company will pay a $44,069 civil penalty and will implement a Supplemental Environmental Project worth approximately $125,000.

The supplemental project calls for purchasing and installing equipment to remotely monitor liquid levels in both the above-ground oil storage tanks and secondary containment at two of their oil storage and distribution facilities. Monitoring data will be available – password protected - via the internet. If a monitoring alarm is triggered, pre-designated personnel will receive email alerts. Triggers would include high or low liquid levels in a storage tank, liquid in a containment area, or signal connection disruption. The new equipment is expected to be installed, online and in operation by mid-2017.

Strict SPCC compliance is critically important to preventing oil spills and protecting the Pacific Northwest’s rivers, lakes, and streams.

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For more about EPA’s Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure program:

https://www.epa.gov/oil-spills-prevention-and-preparedness-regulations