NORTH CRESCENT, Duchesne County — Property owners affected by last month's breach of a wastewater disposal pond here have turned down a proposal to use members of an LDS Boy Scout troop to clean up chunks of hardened oil and contaminated soil from their land.
However, they said they have no problem with allowing official cleanup crews on their property.
Reports that neighbors are continually refusing cleanup aid aren't correct, said Charmaine Hurley, one of the neighbors whose property sustained possible damage in what the Division of Oil, Gas and Mining declared an industrial accident April 9. Wastewater is a byproduct from the production of crude oil and natural gas wells. The salt water is commonly disposed of by evaporating the water in large containment ponds.
The breach sent a mixture of salt water and a small amount of oil down an adjacent drainage for about a mile and a half. Water escaped for about 50 minutes, according to division reports.
Water Disposal Inc. the company that owns the pond, took immediate measures to stabilize the pond to prevent any more water from escaping. The cause of the breach remains under investigation.
"We felt if these kids get hurt or there is something in that (spill) and these kids get sick, then we are liable," said Hurley.
The use of the Scout troop would have also been against OSHA regulations. Division officials knew of the plan to use shovels and buckets to clean up the scattered chunks of oil but reportedly did not realize the Boy Scouts were going to be doing the actual work.
Neighbors became concerned about the lack of cleanup plans when they went for over a week without being contacted by the owners of Water Disposal. Hurley and other neighbors said they did not want to bother the family of the late Chris Denver, one of the two owners of Water Disposal. However, they said they did expect to hear from Denver's partner, John Chasel, of Park City.
"I would have let anyone from the division on my land, the owners on my land or an authorized cleanup crew, but nobody ever called," said Hurley.
According to division information officer Jim Springer, inspectors have visited the facility numerous times to evaluate cleanup efforts and to assess the immediate impact of the spill.