Mayor Paine Details Husky Refinery on Week Summary
SUPERIOR, Wis. – Superior City Officials have provided a detailed summary a little over a week since the Husky Superior Refinery fire:
Husky Energy continues to work with the community, government agencies and its employees to recover. Working in partnership with community leadership, municipal, state agencies and federal agencies, we have made progress over the last week towards the goal of securing and stabilizing the refinery. This progress report for community leadership is intended to keep the community apprised of the ongoing safety and environmental mitigation, recovery efforts and the environmental monitoring results.
Approximately 316 employees and contractors are now at the refinery site daily, and about 90 people are staffing the Emergency Operations Center on Hammond Avenue in Superior. An additional 37 workers are in the community, performing such tasks as air monitoring, claims processing and debris cleanup.
Electricity has been restored to a number of buildings at site, including the administration building and the wastewater treatment plant.
We are beginning to clear areas within the facility so we can facilitate cleanup and the next phases of work. Work began Friday, May 4 to clean up debris on the nearby golf course and on areas adjacent to Stinson Avenue. Once debris is cleared, Stinson Avenue will be reopened to traffic. Also, beginning Saturday, May 5, debris is being removed from residential areas within the community. Crews are seeking homeowner permission before accessing properties.
Husky has established a toll free help line and will continue running newspaper and online advertisements and radio spots to raise awareness of its availability and to encourage residents to call.
The 24-hour residents’ line is available to assist with claims related to the incident, such as accommodations or transportation, and other supports, including access to counselling. The toll-free number is: 1-855-527-5002.
A release would only be required for a bodily injury claim and only once a settlement is reached with the resident. No release for other claims.
As of Saturday morning, May 5, approximately 1,315 claims had been received. Good progress is being made in addressing the claims and in many cases, we have been able to issue payments by direct deposit, or via check with claims adjusters on site at a local hotel.
Environmental Overview
Environmental and regulatory agencies were immediately notified of the incident and conducted independent responses. Husky continues to cooperate fully with the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR).
Air:
The fire resulted in a significant smoke and soot plume that moved downwind from the refinery in a southwest direction. Based on actual confirmatory visual and photographic evidence collected from within and surrounding the identified plume migration boundary, there has been no evidence of visible soot deposition related to the incident. Douglas County Department of Health and Community Services has prepared an update regarding soil and gardening health information (attached).
Husky and US EPA implemented environmental monitoring immediately following the incident and an evacuation was ordered as a precautionary measure. In addition to US EPA’s monitoring, Husky has collected over 1.5 million records on the air quality in the community and refinery. None of that monitoring showed any elevated levels of emissions above health-based thresholds. The air quality monitoring was conducted at over 3,100 locations in the community. In addition, there are 15 fixed monitors placed on the facility fence line, encircling the facility. The results of this community monitoring program can be found on the Douglas County Health Department’s website.
Water:
Water collected during firefighting is being contained within the refinery’s storm water and fire water containment system. Water is now circulating in the wastewater treatment plant, which is an important step in our management of water on site. Husky and WDNR are regularly collecting surface water samples from the onsite storm water ponds used to contain this runoff, and at multiple locations along the length of Newton Creek down to Hog Island Inlet. Water samples collected post incident to date are comparable to baseline samples pre-incident under normal refinery operating conditions, with the exception of trace amounts of Perfluoroalkyl Sulfonate (PFAS) – a chemical component found in firefighting foam. The WDNR has been notified. A treatment strategy for the impounded water on site is being prepared.
Wildlife:
Protections and deterrents for wildlife have been implemented as part of the facility response. To date there are two known impacts. One resident deer has been identified with oil staining on all four lower legs and one deceased common grackle has been found. The deer is being monitored. A decision has been made not to tranquilize the deer to remove the oil as it is not showing negative impacts. There has been no observed impact to fish or other aquatic life in the onsite storm water ponds or Newton Creek as a result of the incident. Water monitoring continues.
Debris:
Debris from the refinery scattered to areas outside the refinery and towards the southwest. Most of the material consists of mineral wool and foam insulation, and may be charred from the fire. Due to the material’s age, we are in the process of testing the material as we collect it to ensure it does not contain asbestos. Evaluation to date of the mineral wool and foam insulation found offsite determined these are not considered asbestos containing materials. Air monitoring results from the refinery in the area of the damaged equipment have not exceeded indoor air quality standards for asbestos. Husky has been and continues to collect this material on a systematic and request basis (via the toll free number).
If you have debris on your property, please contact Husky via the toll free number.
