The Reese Group has been awarded a subcontract role with the Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team (START) program for the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Region 5. Our START subcontract with Tetra Tech includes emergency response operations, prevention and preparedness, and removal actions.
The Reese Group assisted with emergency response operations for the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway oil car derailment in Galena, Illinois in March 2015. Of the 21 railcars that derailed, seven tanker cars ruptured of which five caught fire. Approximately 220,000 gallons of crude oil were recovered in the days immediately following the derailment.
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
USEPA contractors, including The Reese Group personnel, are overseeing environmental sampling and monitoring conducted as part of the response efforts, which include the following:
- Clean up of seasonal wetlands next to the railroad tracks
- Construction of a sheet-piling barrier to keep seasonal rising water away from the sensitive wetlands area
- Placement of an interceptor trench to collect and treat water that may come in contact with crude oil at the site
- Protection of the adjacent wildlife refuge
- Air monitoring near the spill site and in the community of Galena
- Surface water sampling of the Mississippi and Galena Rivers
