Report says Irwin fluid spill did not contaminate the area watersheds

No threat to human health…

The cleanup report from Envirotech, a New Mexico-based environmental engineering firm, concerning the February 9 spill of diesel and motor fluids after an Irwin Backcountry Guides Tucker snowcat tipped over in a storm, has been released. The bottom line of the report is that the company is “confident that the impact from the release of diesel fuel and motor oil has not posed a threat to human health or the environment and will not pose a threat in the future.”

The report concludes that after several days of work by the company, a total of 28.5 55-gallon drums of contaminated water were extracted from the Lake Irwin area and disposed of in an oil/water separator system.
“The exact volume of pure contamination removed is unable to be determined. However, the majority of the water removed from the lake was projected to be pure lake water,” the report states.
“Approximately one yard of diesel fuel contaminated booms and pads used during spill cleanup activities have been transported to Envirotech’s New Mexico Environmental Department permitted soil remediation facility for disposal,” according to the report.
The report states that the two-day cleanup remediated the area to “maximum technological feasibility… Envirotech does not deem the residual hydrocarbon as a concern since all constituents are well within regulatory standards.”
The company did recommend that the area continue to be monitored on a periodic basis and that potentially contaminated booms still at the site be changed out. It also recommends that a more thorough assessment of the area be done in the spring once the snow and ice melts.
Forest Service spokeswoman Lee Ann Loupe says agency specialists have looked over the Envirotech report and found it very thorough. “We are pleased that there will be continued monitoring of the site and additional testing in the spring,” she said. “There doesn’t appear, based on the report, to be continuing concerns but we’ll keep monitoring the situation as it develops.
At this time the Forest Service is working with Irwin to make sure it is following its permit. Loupe said the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is working with Irwin on the matter as well.
“CDPHE staff members have been acting as background resources for the USFS since the incident was first brought to our attention,” explained CDPHE spokeswoman Katherine Lemon. “CDPHE is not conducting an independent investigation, but staff continue to provide guidance regarding state regulations.”
“We are very pleased with the results and look forward to closing this matter after Envirotech’s follow-up in the spring,” said Kyra Martin chief operating officer of the Irwin Backcountry Guides snowcat skiing operation.