February 2013 Rain event discharges into neighborhood canal and the total suspended solids collected in the sample "could" result in a permit exceedance.
page 7 of the February DMR report in LDEQ EDMS document 8778461
http://edms.deq.louisiana.gov/app/doc/view.aspx?doc=8778461&ob=yes&child=yes
Valero's updated application for the rain water ponds (storm water basins). This permit has not yet public noticed. "Formerly, when capacity became available, water collected in these impoundments was pumped back to the Equalization Tanks and then to the WWTP (waste water treatment plant) for treatment; however, these pumps are no longer in service.........."
In anticipation of precipitation, it is not uncommon for the storm water basins to empty into the neighborhood canals.
January 2013 oil in neighborhood canal
Jan 2013 fog carries oil from ExxonMobil crude unit into neighborhoods
September 2 2012 Fish Kill in local canal
Oily water discharge 8 - 29 -2012
strong fuel smell present as if a by pass of oily water
strong odor in neighborhoods
August 30 2012 overflow western ditch discharge into west ditch and then 20 arpent canal of waste oil from WWTP due to heavy rains
Terminal flooding in Isaac
July 20 2012 report on release of crude oil from a pipeline that crosses through the Mississippi River Levee. On the morning of Sept 27 2010 crude oil was observed seeping from beneath the concrete levee wall at the base of the south side of the river levee
Report in community meeting about discharges to canal in April 2012. Report to DEQ about oil discharges to neighborhood canal in Hurricane Isaac . Report NRC about processing campus overflow into western ditch.
unbelievable: DEQ renewed the water discharge permit knowing the refinery is not ready for a four inch rain event. June 2011 Murphy-Oil-storm-water-study- to provide adequate capacity for a 25 year rain event (an 11 inch rain)
UPDATE on spill redux by Max37 http://concernedcitizensaroundmurphy.blogspot.com/2008/04/the-spill-redux-by-max37-041108-906-am.html
Finally, http://edms.deq.louisiana.gov/app/doc/view.aspx?doc=8459340&ob=yes&child=yes
Unfortunately, the water permit was renewed without the above enforcement. And the enforcement does not include the June 2009 refinery flooding the neighborhood. http://concernedcitizensaroundmurphy.blogspot.com/2012/07/rain-event.html
July 18 2011 (But not Posted to EDMS until June 2012), the refinery reports an oil sheen in the neighborhood canal (the 20 arpent), but from an unknown source. YET, for the rain event on July 18 2011, not only did residents report sheets of water overflow from the processing campus into the neighborhood, the refinery reported to the public the opening of the sluice gates and discharging into the neighborhood canal (the 20 arpent).
http://edms.deq.louisiana.gov/app/doc/view.aspx?doc=8418028&ob=yes&child=yes
http://edms.deq.louisiana.gov/app/doc/view.aspx?doc=8424064&ob=yes&child=yes
http://edms.deq.louisiana.gov/app/doc/view.aspx?doc=8374292&ob=yes&child=yes
Request conveyance notice for tanks 250-1, 250-2, 250-3 (tanks in area of Hurricane Katrina tank rupture). this tank farm's rain water drains into our neighborhood canal. the maximum remaining concentration of contaminants are for industrial use only.
http://edms.deq.louisiana.gov/app/doc/view.aspx?doc=8196314&ob=yes&child=yes June 2011-- 10 gallons of diesel material in rain ditch along state highway between terminal and refinery. cannot locate a leak.
7/18/2011 Residents reports sheets of water overflow again into neighborhood on processing campus side. 7/18/2011 Refinery reports oil sheen in canal and emergency use of sluice gates open to canal.
September 4, 2011 day after Tropical Storm Lee, seems as if the municipal pipe is being used again to reduce levels
Murphy Oil Refinery flooding neighborhood (around the 4:14 minute mark)
June 8 2009 rain event
http://six.pairlist.net/pipermail/stbernard/20090912/022831.html
Chalmette Residents Complain Of Flooding
Residents: Oil Refinery, Canal Flooding Streets
POSTED: 10:48 pm CDT September 11, 2009
UPDATED: 11:10 pm CDT September 11, 2009
CHALMETTE, La. -- Residents in a Chalmette neighborhood on Friday claimed
that a nearby canal and oil refinery are causing flooding in their streets.
Chalmette resident Wayne Duchman said that water from the Jacob Canal,
located behind the subdivision where he lives, overflows onto the street.
Residents believe that some of the water also comes from the nearby Murphy
Oil Refinery.
"Water is coming from their facility, washing over the road," Duchman said.
"The canal is overfilling .and now our house is getting ready to flood."
Duchman added that heavy rains worsen the situation.
Parish President Craig Taffaro said that a subcontractor of Murphy Oil
installed a pipe that delivers water into the canal. Taffaro said the pipe
will only be removed when the canal is dredged.
Murphy Oil denied the accusations and said that the pipe is not theirs.
Meantime, St. Bernard Parish Councilman Wayne Landry admitted that the
drainage problems have been an ongoing problem. However, Landry said that
the local government is committed to making repairs.
"We have sub-surface drainage problems from the street to the canal," Landry
said. "What they do have, from me and other members of government, is that
we're going to stay on it until it gets repaired."
Residents Complain of Flooding from Refinery
Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality..........
"A site visit...revealed there was no evidence the refinery had overflowed its western ditch"
"...evaluated the ditches, natural drains, and stormwater system....no problem areas were found with the facility. No further action."
"it is not [Murphy] employees using the pipeline as a parking area"
December 2009 Rain Leads to Oil Runoff Near Murphy Refinery
Parish, State Investigating As Company Begins Cleanup
DEQ looking into oily discharge
booms which were lining the neighborhood canal have been removed (as of Mid March 2010); this leaves residents to question what is the plan next time the forcast calls for rain?
There seems to be a pattern of a tan colored discharge through the muncipal pipe before or after a heavy rain event,sometimes accompanied by booms around the refinery ponds. It is not unusual to see a refinery sump truck at the ponds before or after a heavy rain event.
sand bags make for a questionable spill conatainment plan
hurricane season or not, neighborhood canals should not be used
Anonymous said...
