Posted on: Wednesday, April 9, 2003

About half of spilled fuel recovered on Midway

By Jan TenBruggencate
Advertiser Science Writer

Cleanup crews have recovered nearly half of the jet fuel believed to have spilled into Midway Atoll's coral soil in early February.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reported that about 40,000 gallons have been recovered out of an estimated 82,680 gallons that leaked from a corroded pipe.

A barge with backhoes, a grader and other equipment arrived at the atoll March 16 to assist with the cleanup.

Among the initial tasks was the replacement of two recovery pits with eight newly dug recovery wells. All were dug to about 12 feet deep and packed with gravel to allow the fuel to leach through.

Crews are now pumping fuel from the recovery wells, which are attached to automatic systems that pump intermittently, allowing fuel and water to seep into them between suction operations.

Fish and Wildlife Service spokeswoman Barbara Maxfield said the fuel is being separated from water and sand, and then filtered on Midway. It will be reused in generators and boilers. Contaminated soil excavated from the pumping wells has been spread out on a lined site for evaporation.

Consultant GeoEngineers is preparing a cleanup plan for the Environmental Protection Agency's approval. That plan should cover the treatment of fuel-contaminated soils after flowing oil has been removed.

Maxfield said the contamination area measures about 150 feet by 270 feet, and at its nearest point is about 800 feet from the atoll's lagoon.