PORT ANGELES — Cleanup at Indian Creek has moved from an emergency response operation into a new phase focused on environmental recovery and long-term monitoring.
A PetroCard fuel truck failed to negotiate a turn on U.S. Highway 101 on July 18, veered off the road and careened down an embankment before landing upside-down in the creek, the State Patrol said.
Since then, a unified command, including representatives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, state Department of Ecology, Clallam County Sheriff’s Office and PetroCard has stood down, marking the end of the emergency response phase, according to a press release.
Additional support came from the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, Clallam 2 Fire-Rescue, Focus Wildlife, Republic Services, Polaris Applied Sciences and Landau Associates. At its peak, there were more than 65 responders at the incident.
With unified command concluded, the next steps will be carried out by Ecology in collaboration with tribal, state and federal partners, working to support long-term restoration and environmental monitoring, according to the press release.
That includes continuing environmental monitoring, a formal Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) to evaluate ecological harm and determine necessary restoration and a potential transition to the Department of Ecology’s Toxics Cleanup Program, pending site assessment results, which may assume long-term site management and remediation, if needed.
While NRDA and toxics cleanup may overlap in timing and coordination, they are separate processes with different goals, according to the press release. The NRDA, led in collaboration with tribal governments and federal and state agencies, addresses long-term impacts to natural resources, such as fish, water, wildlife, habitat and public recreation areas. The process includes assessing injuries, determining restoration needs and working with PetroCard to fund and carry out restoration projects, while toxics cleanup addresses any long-term contamination at the site.
“Indian Creek is both culturally and ecologically significant for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe,” said Jamie Michel, the on-scene coordinator for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe. “Throughout this response, the tribe’s perspectives and knowledge of the watershed were included in every decision. As we move into restoration, we remain committed to ensuring the health of the creek, the fish, the wildlife and the community that depend on it.”
“This marks the close of a rigorous emergency response, but not the end of our work,” said Dave Byers, the on-scene coordinator for the Department of Ecology. “We will continue to partner with the tribe, local agencies and the community to monitor condition and carry out restoration so Indian Creek remains healthy for future generations.”
According to the press release, 2,798 gallons of gasoline and 172 gallons of diesel were spilled into the creek, resulting in the deaths of 2,134 fish, 538 invertebrates, one bird and one rodent.
“As salmon begin returning to the Elwha River in the coming weeks, unified command, guided by input from the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, federal and state agencies, local partners and environmental experts, determined that Indian Creek will remain open to fish passage,” the press release stated. “This consensus reflects site conditions, ongoing monitoring, the tribe’s knowledge of the watershed and its cultural importance, and historically strong salmon survival in Indian Creek. Hatchery wells will be sampled regularly to ensure safe water for fish and the environment, and biological and chemical monitoring will inform any adjustments needed to protect returning fish.”
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Reporter Emily Hanson can be reached by email at emily.hanson@peninsuladailynews.com.
