WVDEP continues containment efforts to protect downstream water supply after Wyoming County spill

Charleston, W.Va. — The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) and cleanup crews have recovered approximately 18,000 gallons of an oil-and-water mixture at the Appalachian Power substation in the Clear Fork area of Wyoming County following Friday’s spill. Environmental contractors are using vacuum trucks to recover materials. Appalachian Power estimates that between 10,000 to 12,000 gallons of oil were released from the transformer, but is still working to determine how much left secondary containment, a backup barrier system designed to catch spills.

Containment measures, including underflow dams, containment booms, and absorbent pads, are functioning as intended within the stream, while a large trench was constructed at the site to prevent additional material from entering the watershed. While sheen and material are still visible within portions of the Clear Fork watershed, it has not been observed reaching downstream containment measures, and there was no evidence of material at the inlet to R.D. Bailey Lake. Additional containment equipment was brought onsite Sunday morning as a precaution.

WVDEP staff have collected in-stream water samples to establish baseline conditions so cleanup progress can be tracked over time. No impacts to downstream water intakes or aquatic life are expected at this time. WVDEP will remain onsite to monitor and oversee cleanup.​