This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Tesoro Logistics has agreed to pay a proposed $7,000 penalty to compensate the state of Utah for a diesel fuel spill in Salt Lake City's Rosewood Park last year.
The spill, which leaked from a broken fuel transmission line, released about 100 barrels of fuel into Rosewood Park, about 1400 N. 1200 West, on January 30, 2015. The fuel mingled with water leaking from a nearby city main, which broke at roughly the same time; together they formed a pond in the park. Some of the oil-water mix also flowed into a nearby storm drain and ultimately into the Jordan River, according to the stipulated compliance order.
According to the order, the spill was discovered by a work crew from Salt lake City, which had returned to the park to retrieve some equipment that was used to repair a separate water line the previous day. While there, the crew discovered the leaking water and noticed a diesel fuel odor, which they reported to Tesoro.
Tesoro was heavily involved in containing and remediating the spill, according to the order, but the Utah Department of Environmental Quality later determined that the environmental damage caused by the spill was still severe enough to warrant a penalty. Under the terms of the order, Tesoro would pay an environmental penalty of $3,083.50, plus $4,410 to reimburse the state's administrative costs. The order permits Tesoro to submit an environmental mitigation project in lieu of the $3,000 penalty.
Attempts to reach Tesoro Logistics for comment were unsuccessful.
The order is subject to a public comment period that will remain open through Feb. 16.
Emma Penrod —
Public comment period
Comments may be submitted via email to dgriffin@utah.gov or mailed to Daniel Griffin, P.O. Box 144870, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-4870. The deadline for comments is Feb. 16.