On June 15, 2024, at 3
PM, the EPA was notified by the National Response Center (NRC) of a discharge
of estimated 2000 barrels, updated to 2,500 barrels on June 25, 2024, of crude
oil from the Martin Operating Partners Facility, Smackover, AR. According to
the NRC report, the spill leaked from a manifold causing oil to spill over
land, into a natural drainage that leads into Holmes creek, which connects to
Smackover creek, which connects to Ouachita River which is the Waters of the
United States. The spill is a major discharge as defined in § 300.5 of the
National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan. Within a
1-mile radius of the incident location, there are 3 Environmental Justice
Indexes that exceed the 80th percentile (State, USA) and a population of
approximately 1,367.
Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment – Division of Environmental Quality, Arkansas Dept of Emergency Management, and Arkansas Oil
and Gas Commission are responding to the spill.
On July 15, 2024, EPA
completed its emergency response activities to Martin Operating Partnership
Crude Oil Pipeline Spill. EPA conducted an evaluation of Holmes Creek and
Smackover Creek with Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment – Division of Environmental Quality (ADEE-DEQ) and the
Responsible Party the morning of June 15. Holmes Creek and Smackover Creek were
clear of product with only light sheen in small pockets. The natural drainage
that leads to Holmes Creek is also clear of product with only light sheen found
in small pockets, light leaching along some banks, and light oil found in flood
areas of the unnamed tributary. Because these areas no longer contain any
appreciable amount of product from the spill, and no longer threatens or
potentially threatens Holmes Creek, EPA and ADEE-DEQ now considers the response ready
for transition into Maintenance. ADEE-DEQ will continue to monitor the operations
during the maintenance phase of the response. A transition letter stating EPA’s
response operations are completed, and the continued remedial actions will be
under the direction of ADEE-DEQ, was signed by EPA, ADEE-DEQ, and the RP on July 15,
2024. EPA demobilized on July 16, 2024.
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