A small tube between the main portion of the Olympic Pipeline and a pressure-check valve failed Sunday in the Skagit Valley, spilling gasoline into nearby creeks not far from Mount Vernon.
About 30,660 gallons were released when a tube — 3/8 of an inch in diameter — failed. About 5,000 gallons remained in a vault while the rest spilled out, according to a news release from agencies involved in the cleanup response. No gasoline or sheen has been spotted in the Skagit River, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
The leak on the north side of Highway 534 spilled gasoline into neighboring Hill Ditch and Bulson Creek. Containment booms have been placed at various points along a 2-mile stretch of the water, according to the release.
Highway 534 was closed Sunday from the Interstate 5 offramp to Bulson Road for cleanup, and was to reopen to one-lane traffic at 6 a.m. Tuesday. The nearby K-8 Conway School closed on Monday and will reopen Tuesday.
Air monitoring by the Washington Department of Ecology and pipeline-owner BP has found there is no public health risk from the fumes.
Hill Ditch and Bulson Creek are both home to salmon and other waterfowl. As of Monday afternoon, there were no confirmed injuries or deaths of fish in the spill area, according to the release. The Skagit River basin, key to salmon recovery in the state, is home to several salmon restoration projects.
After BP learned of a loss of pressure Sunday morning, the company began shutting down the main pipeline. Residual pressure caused gasoline to continue releasing for several hours, according to the release. The pipeline itself did not rupture.
Crews will conduct in-water surveillance of Hill Ditch on Tuesday.
The EPA, Washington Department of Ecology, Skagit County Department of Emergency Management, BP, Lummi Nation, and the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community led the response to the leak.
The pipeline runs along a 299-mile corridor from Blaine to Portland, delivering fuel to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Harbor Island. The pipeline exploded in 1999 in Bellingham, killing three people.
