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Department of Ecology News Release - November 13, 2002
02-206
YAKIMA - The Chelan County Public Utility District No. 1 (Chelan PUD) has been fined $10,000 by the state Department of Ecology for spilling 1,200 gallons of mineral oil into the Columbia River from Rock Island Dam.
On Aug. 5, the Chelan PUD reported to Ecology that oil had leaked from a powerhouse unit at the Rock Island Dam and spilled into the river. Officials reported that the spill was caused by a mechanical breakdown in one of the generators over the previous weekend. In addition, an alarm system failed to alert operators of the leak.
The spill produced an oily sheen on the river that extended 2 miles below the project. Spill responders were able to recover approximately 430 gallons of the spilled oil, leaving the total amount not recovered at 770 gallons.
"Had the low-oil alarm system been properly maintained and calibrated for the volume of oil, operators would have learned of a problem and this spill could have been avoided," said Mark Layman, who coordinates Ecology's Central Washington spill response.
Chelan PUD may apply to Ecology for relief from the penalty within 15 days or file an appeal with the Washington State Pollution Control Hearings Board within 30 days.
Contact: Joye Redfield-Wilder, public information manager, (509) 575-2610
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
