Advertisement Crews seal line that spilled 55,000 gallons of gas in Susquehanna; EPA monitoring water, air quality Officials working to make sure local water supply does not become contaminated Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Officials say 55,000 gallons of gasoline spilled into the Susquehanna River on Friday. It came from a broken Sunoco Pipeline in Gamble Township, Lycoming County around 3 a.m. The gasoline was released in the area of Wallis Run - a tributary of the Loyalsock Creek. The area received heavy rainfall, resulting in flash floods, landslides and riverbank erosion. Crews have sealed both ends of the pipeline and removed an 80-foot section of the pipe. The EPA and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection will continue to monitor water and air quality. The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) issued an alert on Friday, saying officials were working with the Susquehanna River Basin Commission to make sure the local water supply does not become contaminated. You can read that below: Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Update: The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has announced the following update on the gasoline spill into the Loyalsock Creek in Lycoming County. The Sunoco pipeline has been capped at the south end, and work will continue overnight and into tomorrow morning to cap the north end. The level of the Loyalsock Creek has dropped from 13 feet yesterday to approximately 4 feet today, allowing increased access for crews. DEP conducted water sampling for volatile organic compounds in waters that could have been affected by the spill. Six sampling locations were identified, both upstream of the spill for control and comparison and downstream of the break. Gasoline compounds were detected in the samples downstream of the break. DEP will continue to monitor and track the levels. DEP has notified water systems downstream of the break; at this time there are no concerns for public drinking water supplies, as water systems will use stored water and alternative sources until the plume has passed. Residents who have been impacted by the release can call a Sunoco Logistics representative at 1-800-759-5644. Updated Sunoco statement: Sunoco Logistics is continuing containment and recovery efforts Saturday to address potential impacts of the gasoline release in Gamble Township, Pennsylvania. Water monitoring of Loyalsock Creek and the West Branch of the Susquehanna River will be conducted Saturday under supervision of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. The results will be shared with water utilities to ascertain the safety of water supplies downstream from the release, including intakes from Shamokin Dam Borough, Sunbury Municipal Authority and PA American Water-Milton. No petroleum-related compounds have been detected in the Susquehanna to date. The release was confirmed at approximately 3 a.m. Friday, Oct. 21, when the Sunoco Logistics Pipeline Control Center detected a drop in pressure on the 8-inch pipeline, which transports refined petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel and home heating fuel between Sinking Spring, Pa., and markets in Rochester and Buffalo, N.Y. The pipeline release site is at Wallis Run near the intersection of Wallis Run Road and Butternut Grove Road in Gamble Township, Lycoming County. Wallis Run is a tributary of the Loyalsock Creek, which feeds into the West Branch of the Susquehanna. The pipeline was shut down immediately and emergency response personnel were dispatched to the scene. Federal, state, county and local officials were notified. The area received heavy rainfall overnight Thursday into Friday, resulting in flash floods, landslides and riverbank erosion. A bridge was completely washed out at the point of the release. The exact cause of the release is under investigation. Crews are monitoring areas for potential impact as floodwaters recede, and will deploy skimmers, booms and pads to remove any petroleum product detected. Inspection of the pipeline will take place when waters recede to safe levels. Sunoco Logistics personnel have been meeting with affected residents and addressing any of their needs and concerns, including well-water testing. Air monitoring is ongoing with the U.S. EPA and Pennsylvania DEP. No hazardous levels have been detected, though gasoline odors remain in certain areas. Residents who have been impacted by the release can call a Sunoco Logistics representative at 1-800-759-5644. The U.S. EPA and Pennsylvania DEP have joined Sunoco Logistics in a Unified Command structure to manage the response, with headquarters at the nearby Eldred Township Volunteer Fire Company. Additional agencies on scene include Lycoming County Emergency Management and the U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, and the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. The Lycoming County Sheriff and the Pennsylvania National Guard are assisting.