EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. — A huge pipeline leak spilled thousands of gallons of oil into the Cahokia Creek near Edwardsville, Illinois.
Friday morning, at 11:45 a.m., a Marathon Pipe Line (MPL) leaked crude oil into the nearby land and water. The pipeline is located near the intersection of Illinois Route 143 and Illinois Route 159.
Upon detecting the release Friday morning, MPL shut down the pipeline and deployed response resources.
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimated 165,000 gallons were released before containment.
MPL and multiple emergency agencies responded to the area and blocked off the road. Crews used several floating devices to soak up the oil from the water.
Marathon Pipe Line responded to the incident saying in a statement, “MPL’s top priorities are to ensure the safety of responders, the community and to limit the environmental impact as we respond to the release.”
MPL has deployed air monitoring in the area as a precaution and has detected no hazardous level of emissions. They say there are no water intakes or private wells in the immediate vicinity of the release.
MPL says their resources deployed to the area for cleanup activities include boom, vacuum trucks, skimmers, and excavating equipment. They say additional personnel and equipment are en route to the location to assist in the cleanup.
The EPA has referred the incident over to the attorney general to oversee the cleanup of the land and water. The agency said MPL violated the Illinois Environmental Protection Act and the Illinois Pollution Control Board’s regulations.
Additionally, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) deployed a team of three investigators to the scene.
No injuries have been reported. Crews will continue to work at the scene, but it’s unclear just how long the cleanup will take. An investigation into the leak is ongoing.
