174K litres of diesel recovered so far from Woodstock, N.B., gas station leak, province says

Crews cleaning up a fuel leak at a Woodstock, N.B., gas station have recovered 174,000 litres of diesel.

As crews continue to work around the clock to clean up a fuel leak at a gas station in Woodstock, N.B., the province says around 174,000 litres of diesel has been recovered from the site to date.

Remediation efforts have been ongoing since the spill was first discovered last December at the Irving station along Beardsley Road. The leak was a result of a crack in a remote fill elbow, which has since been taken offline.

There is no word on how much diesel may still be in the ground.

Ongoing clean up efforts show no impacts to off-site potable wells or to the nearby wetland, according to the province.

The petroleum systems at the station in question were tested to ensure no other leaks were present before reopening to the public. While Murray’s Truck Stop and the gas pumps on site have re-opened, the Tim Horton’s next door remains closed amid the cleanup.

The department continues to investigate what caused the diesel release in the first place.

In wake of the spill, Environment and Climate Change Minister Gillies LePage is ordering a provincewide inspection of all retail fuel outlets in the province.

The department has determined Irving Oil Ltd. is the responsible party for the incident and has required the company hire a site professional to oversee emergency response and cleanup.

LePage’s office will also continue to investigation the incident for any violations of environmental legislation, and ensure Irving continues to comply with those legislations, including safe storage practices. They will also monitor the site to ensure regulations for cleanup are followed.

In a statement released Monday, Irving Oil said steps were immediately taken to address the issue upon its discovery last December.

“On-site filtration systems ensured public safety was not compromised at any time as a result of this incident,” the release reads. “Potable well water testing – both regulated and voluntary – has been ongoing in the surrounding area with results consistently falling within safe parameters. A separate supply of potable water from the Town of Woodstock is being provided to Murray’s Truck Stop and we want to assure all who visit our site that all requirements have been met to ensure their experience at Murray’s is safe.”

The company says they have undertaken a “thorough and extensive” review of the incident to prevent future occurrences.

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