DENVER, CO, June 7, 2011 -- Cleanup activities are underway after an oil spill in May affected portions of a waterway 20 miles southwest of Rawlins, WY.
The spill is believed to have originated from an oil/water separation unit owned and operated by Denver-based Nadel and Gussman Rockies.
The discharge was reported on May 22 by a citizen but based on site conditions and the weathered nature of the oil, EPA said it suspects the spill actually occurred several weeks earlier.
While an exact total has not yet been determined, officials estimate the spill to be between 1,000 and 10,000 gallons.
Response activities have included deployment of sorbent booms and filter fences, flushing of contaminated vegetation and streambed, and construction of a siphon to stem flow and collect oil.
Over the next several weeks, EPA will oversee additional cleanup activities in conjunction with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (WDEQ) and local property owners.
EPA issued a compliance order requiring Nadel and Gussman Rockies to conduct cleanup actions at the site. The agency will make determinations regarding additional enforcement actions as its investigation continues.
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