OIL SPILLS AT TARANAKI SITE IN NEW ZEALAND FROM THE FLOATING OIL STORAGE SHIP RAROA

FEBRUARY 23, 2015

Maritime New Zealand is monitoring a small oil spill off Taranaki's coast.

The ocean watchdog was alerted on Friday to a spill from the floating oil storage ship Raroa, which is operating in the Maari Field about 70km off the South Taranaki coast.

Maritime New Zealand spokeswoman Sandra Ford said up to 250 litres of oil spilt when a pipe on board the Raroa split during a routine transfer operation.

She said the field operator, Austrian oil company OMV, notified authorities immediately and was using a support boat to skim oil off the water at the spill site.

The slick, which is marked with a buoy, is now more than 10km from the platform site, she said.

"MNZ expects the oil to break up considerably and, if it finally hits the coast, it will more than likely present as small tar balls," Ms Ford said on Monday.

"If this happens, MNZ will liaise with the operator and the relevant regional council on clean-up options."

The spill is OMV's third at the Maari Field, following two spills reported in late 2010.

Jean Kahui, co-ordinator of anti-fracking group Frack Free Kapiti, said no new fracking projects should be allowed until the dangers of the activity are properly assessed.

"In the light of this oil spill, all issuing of offshore drilling permits need to stop, at least until a credible impact assessment have been completed, Kiwis have been consulted and a national policy statement has been developed," she said.

UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANK LEAK SPILLS DIESEL FUEL BEHIND GREENVILLE SHRINERS HOSPITAL IN SOUTH CAROLINA

FEBRUARY 17, 2015

GREENVILLE, S.C.

Wednesday, the Environmental Protection Agency will investigate a fuel spill that sent gallons into an Upstate river bed, Tuesday morning.

 The spill was discovered behind Greenville Shriners Hospital for Children when diesel fuel was seen coming out of a storm drain and flowing into Brushy Creek.  The hospital tracked the source of the leak underground to a fuel holding tank.
"They are our backup systems for our boilers for heating and air," explained Randy Risser, Business Development Director for the hospital.

With the help of state agencies, including the Department of Health and Environmental Control, Risser said they drained the tank and started work to contain and clean up the spill.

"We have a spill plan and so we've been working with the environmental engineers, DHEC, Hazmat and we're just going to continue to work with them to see what our next steps are and how we go about taking care of this issue," he said.

This hasn't always been the case.

In 2013, the EPA penalized the hospital nearly $6000 dollars for failure to have an adequate spill plan. In 2010, a similar fuel spill contaminated brushy creek and reedy river, costing them $3,000 in EPA penalties.

According to DHEC, Tuesday's spill sent fuel as far as the Conastee Lake. Fire departments dropped collection booms downstream to collect the fuel and prevent it from entering area water treatment plants.

DHEC says there is no public threat and it's still too early to tell if the EPA will penalize the hospital again.

We asked the hospital if any new procedures or testing would be put in place.
"At this time we really don't have all that nailed down. We are going to keep working with those agencies and figure out what we need to do with this tank," said Risser.

If you see any release of pollutants into the environment, you're urged to call DHEC's Emergency Response Section or ERS. DHEC responds to all credible reports of dumping, spills and releases of hazardous substances as well as fish kills.

TANKER TRAILER STUCK IN THE MUD OFF LOUISIANA HIGHWAY

FEBRUARY 20, 2015

LIVONIA, LOUISIANA

Louisiana State Police asked drivers to avoid a section of US 190 in Pointe Coupee Parish until after lunch while crews work to remove a stuck 18-wheeler that ran off the roadway.

Troopers said two tanker trucks were transferring hazardous material at US 190 just east of LA 78 near Livonia in Pointe Coupee Parish when one of them veered off the highway and became stuck the mud.

HazMat crews said the process should take around one-and-a-half hours as they must unload the trailer and transfer the product to another trailer before they can remove the stuck vehicle.

The highway was reopened around 12:30 p.m

1 CRITICALLY INJURED WHEN SMALL PLANE CRASHES EAST OF DOWNTOWN SPOKANE, WASHINGTON

FEBRUARY 23, 2015

SPOKANE, WASHINGTON

The pilot of a small airplane was critically injured Sunday when the single-engine Piper Malibu crashed east of downtown Spokane.

The private plane, registered with an owner in Alberta, had taken off from Felts Field bound for Stockton, California. It went down about 1:30 p.m. just north of East Sprague Avenue at North Erie Street, near the Hamilton Street bridge over the Spokane River.

The plane lost power a short time after takeoff, hit the top of a BNSF railroad viaduct over Erie and crumpled to the ground there, said Steve Sabo, Spokane Fire Department battalion chief.

Curtis Neal, who witnessed the crash, said the plane banked left, appeared headed toward a building, banked right, and then crashed. Neal was first on the scene and rushed to the pilot’s aid.

“I ran over there and tapped on the window,” he said. “He didn’t respond.”

Neal used a piece of landing gear to break out a window to try to free the pilot, who was suspended upside down. “It looked bad,” he said.

Two Spokane police officers then arrived, and one of the officers cut the seat belt holding the pilot. They pulled the pilot out through a narrow opening.

“They were concerned about a fire hazard,” Sabo said.

Although some fuel spilled from the plane, there was no fire, he said.

The pilot – the only person on board – was taken to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center in critical condition.

Representatives of the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash.

SIX PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO HOSPITAL AND 1000 STUDENTS EVACUATED AFTER A CHEMICAL SPILL AT A MELBOURNE SCHOOL IN AUSTRALIA.

FEBRUARY 23, 2015

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA

A fault in the ventilation system of a science room at Lyndale Secondary College prompted the school to move everyone to the gym, the Country Fire Authority says.

The incident involved a potassium iodide mixture in the classroom, which was secured and contained by CFA crews.

A dozen people were treated by paramedics and Ambulance Victoria says six were taken to hospital in stable conditions.