Puget Sound Energy Spills Diesel in National Forest
Puget Sound Energy (PSE) is working with Washington state and federal agencies to contain and clean up an estimated 18,000 gallon leak of diesel fuel from the company’s backup electricity generator located on Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest land below the Crystal Mountain ski area in Pierce County.
Emergency cleanup crews from PSE, the Washington Department of Ecology, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have been working around the clock since the initial report of the spill to contain the diesel fuel and protect the nearby wetlands and Silver Creek.
The cause of the spill is under investigation.
The fuel was observed in Silver Creek, which is approximately 1,200 feet from the spill site and about 15 miles upstream from the town of Greenwater.
State ecology officials were concerned that an undetermined amount of diesel fuel had entered Silver Creek due to extraordinary rains and complex soil conditions at the spill site.
Silver Creek is an important salmon-bearing creek. State and tribal fish and wildlife officials have begun conducting wildlife surveys in the area and downstream of the spill site.
Working with the U.S. Forest Service, PSE Friday notified homeowners in the area about the spill and recommended safety precautions such as bottled water.
In addition, PSE representatives and outside technical experts met with the Silver Creek Homeowners Association during its annual meeting at the Greenwater Fire Department to answer questions and concerns about the spill.
Drivers were asked to use extra caution, and responders were asking the public to avoid the area for safety reasons.
