U.S. Water News Online
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- State officials are raising concerns that groundwater beneath a refinery that leaked oil in June may be saturated with toxic chemicals that could contaminate public drinking water supplies.
The Big West Oil of California refinery in Bakersfield was partially shut down after releasing more than 1,000 barrels of oil from an underground pipeline.
The refinery, owned by Flying J Inc., has had pollution problems in the past, and the groundwater below it already was contaminated, according to the State Water Resources Control Board.
Despite documents from the refinery's previous owner showing the amount of groundwater contamination was increasing in some areas, the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board did not impose fines or enforce deadlines to get the mess cleaned up until recently, according to an investigation by The Bakersfield Californian.
In June, the regional water board issued a formal cleanup order to the refinery's current owner, but that does not address most of the contamination, the newspaper found.
State Sen. Dean Florez, D-Shafter, said he plans to write a letter asking California Attorney General Jerry Brown to get involved.
The regional water board said bare bones staffing kept it from speeding up the process, but said it would send a formal action notice to Shell Oil Co., the company responsible for the past contamination.
Shell will determine if further cleanup work is needed by Dec. 1, board officials said.
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