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Company official says spill impact looks slight

PHOTO PROVIDED This aerial shot provided by Sunoco shows the washed out bridge at Wallis Run.

The incident command center at the Eldred Township fire hall has been a hub of activity since Friday as representatives from the fire department, government and even the National Guard were on the scene following major flooding from a slow moving storm system that dumped several inches of rain in a short amount of time.

The flooding caused a Sunoco gasoline pipe under Loyalsock Creek in Gamble Township to rupture spilling approximately 55,000 gallons of fuel into the creek.

Water monitoring and testing of Loyalsock Creek and the West Branch of the Susquehanna River were being conducted under supervision of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the state Department of Environmental Protection, but so far, Jeff Shields, Sunoco Logistics communications manager, said the agencies haven’t “found significant traces” of any petroleum-related compounds.

Spokespersons for the state DEP could not be contacted for further comment as of presstime Saturday.

Shields said the pipeline was shut off at the source as soon as the break was discovered.

“It may not be that much (gas), “but that is what we have to assume,” Shields said.

Workers are still unable to access the area of the spill Saturday due to high water.

The pipeline release site is at Wallis Run near the intersection of Wallis Run Road and Butternut Grove Road in Gamble Township, Lycoming County. Wallis Run is a tributary of the Loyalsock Creek, which feeds into the West Branch of the Susquehanna, Shields said, and the command center at Eldred Township Fire Hall was set up by noon.

The release was confirmed at approximately 3 a.m. Friday, when the Sunoco Logistics Pipeline Control Center detected a drop in pressure on the 8-inch pipeline, which transports refined petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel and home heating fuel between Sinking Spring and markets in Rochester and Buffalo, New York.

“What we know is that something catastrophic happened to the pipeline that ran under the creek next to Wallis Run,” Shields said. “The bridge that ran over that creek is now in the middle of Loyalsock Creek,” he added.

Regarding the water tests, Shields said,  “the results will be shared with water utilities to ascertain the safety of water supplies downstream from the release, including intakes from Shamokin Dam Borough, Sunbury Municipal Authority and Pennsylvania American Water-Milton.”

“We will continue to test to make sure no water supplies have been affected,” Shields added.

Inspection of the pipeline will take place when waters recede to safe levels.

“We don’t even know what we’re dealing with yet. We have to figure out how to replace that pipe,” he said that they will stay on scene “as long as it takes.”

“As the water recedes we might find pockets along the stream bank and as soon as we do hear any reports we will be there with booms, skimmers and pads to soak up the gas,” Shields said.

Sunoco Logistics personnel have been meeting with affected residents and addressing any of their needs and concerns, including well-water testing.

The EPA and DEP also are continuing air monitoring.

So far, only three families noticed fumes from the spill, but testing showed that levels are not hazardous, he said.

“But just because it isn’t hazardous it doesn’t mean it isn’t making you miserable,” he said of the odor.

“We are committed to doing whatever it takes to restore people’s properties,” he added.

Government agencies on scene included the DEP, the EPA, as well as fire department personnel.

Residents who have been impacted by the release can call a Sunoco Logistics representative at 1-800-759-5644.

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