JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. –
Crews continued removing jet fuel from a drainage ditch outside Joint Base Charleston - Air Base July 19, 2014, following a leak on the base's flightline three nights earlier.
"We're making very good progress," said Navy Capt. Timothy Sparks, 628th Air Base Wing deputy commander, after touring all three sites early this morning.
Most of the fuel is contained in the first of three cleanup stations, where it is caught by a series of devices called booms and removed using vacuum trucks and fuel-absorbent pads. The effort continues at the other two sites as well, but the amount of fuel progressively diminishes further downstream.
"The inspection of the Ashley River boom revealed no further fuel collection or pooling," Sparks said, in reference to the final site.
Crews arrived prior to 7 a.m. this morning and plan to work until just before nightfall, according to Keith Thompson, 628 CES conservation program manager. They will then reassess the situation and develop a plan for Sunday.
Having captured most of the fuel between Dorchester Road and the air base, officials called for an additional vacuum truck as well as a tanker with suction capability, to augment the one vacuum truck already on site. The additional trucks are expected to arrive around noon today, Thompson said.
The primary clean-up tactic at this point is suction, which involves removing both fuel and water from the site. The crews use absorbent pads to collect any remaining fuel, he said.
"Our priorities for the clean-up remain the same," said Col. Jeffrey DeVore, 628th Air Base Wing commander. "We continue seeking the health and safety of cleanup crews, an expeditious response and the prevention of further spills."
Crews are working under the oversight of the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Coast Guard, who help ensure safe operations.
"The air quality is no worse than yesterday," said Stephen Ball, an on-scene coordinator with the EPA who has been testing air quality at the sites regularly. "The (neighboring) communities remain in good shape, and the workers are safe. The smell isn't gone, but we're still well within safe levels."
Ball expects gradual improvement to the air quality.
Officials stopped the fuel leak Wednesday night. The work being done now consists of removing the estimated 1,200 gallons of fuel that escaped through a storm drain on the flightline during a rain storm that night.
Speaking to the state of the clean-up crews, Thompson had this to say:
"Morale seems good. Everyone is working hard. We're just trying to get it done."