City of Walla Walla
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FAQ Box
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What is the status of the cleanup operation?
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Are residents at risk from the contamination?
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Has the cause of the spill been identified?
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Are the inspections on the gasoline storage tanks up to date?
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How much gasoline spilled?
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Who is managing the response?
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Who is paying for the response?
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Will there be a penalty assessed for this spill?
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How long will this take to clean up
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How can I ask a question about the incident?
Contact
- Stephanie May, Ecology Eastern Region communications manager
- Brenden Koch, City of Walla Walla communications manager
- Cheryl Ann Bishop, Ecology Toxics Cleanup Program communications manager
- Ty Keltner, Ecology Spills Program communications manager
Updates
The section below includes all the information the City of Walla Walla has put out about the response to the gasoline found underground around 2nd Avenue and Rose Street, beginning on Sept. 14, 2023. To receive these updates via email when they are posted, please visit this page and subscribe to the "Walla Walla Gasoline 2023" news category. To view the individual posts, visit this page.
Walla Walla Gasoline Release 2023 update 35
Post Date: 10/30/2023 10:35 AM
The response has moved from the initial emergency phase, which it had been in for six weeks, to a long-term remediation phase. Moving forward, the Washington Department of Ecology's Toxics Cleanup Program (TCP) is the lead agency, rather than Ecology's Spills Program.
For this transition to happen, command staff wanted two things to occur:
• They wanted to know the extent of the underground gasoline plume. Investigators got some delineation through well drilling and groundwater testing, though groundwater will change over time.
• There needed to be a plan for continued mitigation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the affected buildings. An effective VOC mitigation plan has been created.
The wells drilled around the Chevron station will continue to be monitored to detect any movement of the plume. No additional structures have been affected by the plume, nor are any likely to be affected in the immediate future.
TCP staff will next meet with representatives of the Marcus Whitman Hotel, the 106 building, and the Chevron station to review the VOC mitigation plan and other aspects of the cleanup.
Spills Program staff will reengage if elevated VOCs or explosive vapors are detected, or if there is any sign of sheen in Mill Creek.
This update is based on information provided by Washington Department of Ecology. City staff will continue to provide these updates on the City website (https://www.wallawallawa.gov/gasoline) as we receive additional details.
Walla Walla Gasoline Release 2023 update 34
Post Date: 10/23/2023 1:10 PM
Staff from Washington Department of Ecology, the City of Walla Walla, Walla Walla Fire Department, Clean Harbors, and Aspect Consulting held our weekly meeting today to review the ongoing response, including Ecology's current Incident Action Plan covering the period of Oct. 23-30.
The team discussed the continuation of pumping operations; the collection of information about the extent of the plume and the ways it's moving underground; and steps toward a transition from the ongoing emergency response to a monitoring/recovery phase. The parties involved will discuss these topics in more depth this week.
In the meantime, work continues to mitigate volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the basement of the Marcus Whitman Hotel and 106 building as gasoline migrates by groundwater into the buildings' sumps. Continuous air monitoring of the impacted areas in both buildings shows a reduction of VOCs by active ventilation.
Water and product removed from the sumps and the abandoned stormwater lift station southwest of the hotel is processed through the six-stage filtration system in the parking lot of the 106 building. Approximately 11,400 gallons of processed water had been discharged to Walla Walla's wastewater treatment system as of Sunday.
This update is based on information provided by Washington Department of Ecology and City of Walla Walla. City staff will continue to provide these updates on the City website (https://www.wallawallawa.gov/gasoline) as we receive additional details.
Photos (courtesy of Washington Department of Ecology)
An active ventilation system mitigates volatile organic compounds in the basement of the Marcus Whitman Hotel.
The exterior groundwater sump adjacent the Marcus Whitman Hotel is pumped to remove water with visible sheen.
The groundwater sump in the basement of the 106 building, which continues to actively fill with water and visible product.
The water treatment system relocated to the 106 building's rear parking lot, as viewed from the roof of the building.
Processed water being transferred to the city wastewater treatment system reached 11,400 gallons as of Sunday, Oct. 22.
Walla Walla Gasoline Release 2023 update 33
Post Date:10/20/2023 2:10 PM
On Thursday, with planned drilling in the right-of-way complete, 2nd Avenue and Rose Street were fully reopened to traffic.
Western States Drilling staff drilled two monitoring wells on the Chevron property, and another was drilled today. All planned wells are expected to be completed by the end of this week.
At the storm drain near 3rd Avenue and Rose Street where gasoline odor and sheen had been detected, Clean Harbors and Washington Department of Ecology staff utilized a camera from the City's Street Division to locate where from the vapors could have traveled from.
Pipes from the storm drain were found to connect to the catch basin outside the west wall of the Marcus Whitman Hotel, where sheen and vapors were found before, as well as to rain gutters on the south side of the hotel. City Streets staff located the pipe on the site and confirmed its connection to the hotel's gutters. The sheen is too low in the basin to reach the connecting pipe, but vapors were able to reach and travel along the pipe.
From its equipment in the parking lot of the 106 building, Clean Harbors resumed the discharge of filtered water to the municipal wastewater treatment system at about 15 gallons per minute.
Ventilation continues to mitigate volatile organic compounds from the affected buildings.
This update is based on information provided by Washington Department of Ecology. City staff will continue to provide these updates on the City website (https://www.wallawallawa.gov/gasoline) as we receive additional details.
Photos
A Western States crew drills a monitoring well on the property of the Chevron station at 2nd and Rose, on Oct. 19, 2023. (Washington Department of Ecology photo)
A geologist examines core samples removed during the drilling of a monitoring well on the property of the Chevron station at 2nd and Rose, on Oct. 19, 2023. (Washington Department of Ecology photo)
City of Walla Walla Street Division staff work to locate the route of a pipe leading to the storm drain near 3rd and Rose, on Oct. 19, 2023. (City of Walla Walla photo)
Walla Walla Gasoline Release 2023 update 32
Post Date:10/19/2023 3:15 PM
On Wednesday, Western States Drilling drilled and placed two 25-foot monitoring wells — one at the southwest corner of the 2nd Avenue/Rose Street intersection, and one at the northeast corner of the 3rd Avenue/Rose intersection.
With drilling operations in the right-of-way complete, Rose was reopened to traffic, as was 2nd Avenue between Rose and Main Street. The only remaining closed section of 2nd — between Rose and Sumach Street — is expected to reopen today.
Clean Harbors resumed pumping material out of the 106 building and the catch basin along the west wall of the Marcus Whitman Hotel.
Clean Harbors has prepared its equipment in the parking lot of the 106 building to begin filtration of the recovered material. The discharge of filtered water to the municipal wastewater treatment system, which was paused to move the equipment, is expected to resume today.
Ventilation continues to mitigate volatile organic compounds from the affected buildings.
The smell of gasoline was observed near the monitoring well at 3rd and Rose, and was found to be coming from the storm drain at that location. The drain was washed and vacuumed and is being monitored for further evidence of contamination. Department of Ecology and Clean Harbors staff observing and testing Mill Creek have reported no sheen or rise in VOCs in or around the waterway.
This update is based on information provided by Washington Department of Ecology and Walla Walla Fire Department. City staff will continue to provide these updates on the City website (https://www.wallawallawa.gov/gasoline) as we receive additional details.
Photos
A crew places a monitoring well near 2nd and Rose on Oct. 18, 2023. (Washington Department of Ecology photo)
A crew drills a monitoring well near 3rd and Rose on Oct. 18. 2023. (City of Walla Walla photo)
Exhaust from the ventilation of the 106 building (106 N. 2nd Ave.) is directed above the building. (City of Walla Walla photo)
Walla Walla Gasoline Release 2023 update 31
Post Date:10/18/2023 10:35 AM
On Tuesday, a crew from Western States Drilling drilled and placed a 25-foot-deep monitoring well on the south side of Rose Street, east of 2nd Avenue. Aspect Consulting staff tested the well for volatile organic compounds and petroleum sheen at 1-foot intervals. The screening results are not sufficient on their own to make conclusions about the extent of the plume.
The crew is drilling additional monitoring wells today. Sections of Rose and 2nd remain closed to accommodate the drilling operations; however, the businesses along these roadways are open, and are accessible via the sidewalks on 2nd between Rose and Main Street.
Clean Harbors began transferring frac tanks and barrels from the north parking lot of the Marcus Whitman Hotel to the parking lot of the 106 building, north of Rose. This work is being done to permit the full reopening of 2nd Avenue this week. The discharge of filtered water to the municipal wastewater treatment system was halted to allow the movement of the equipment.
Ventilation continues to mitigate volatile organic compounds from the affected buildings.
This update is based on information provided by Washington Department of Ecology, with Aspect Consulting contributing information for a caption below. City staff will continue to provide these updates on the City website (https://www.wallawallawa.gov/gasoline) as we receive additional details.
Photos (courtesy of the City of Walla Walla)
A crew drills a monitoring well near 2nd and Rose on Oct. 18. 2023.
A field geologist with Aspect Consulting measures the depth to groundwater in the monitoring well that was drilled on Oct. 17, 2023.
A driver prepares to remove a frac tank from its location in the north lot of the Marcus Whitman Hotel, on Oct. 17, 2023.
A crew positions a frac tank in the parking lot of 106 N. 2nd Ave., on Oct. 17, 2023.
The parking lot of 106 N. 2nd Ave. with frac tanks and other response equipment, on Oct. 18, 2023.
Road closures around gasoline release area on Oct. 17 and 18
Post Date:10/17/2023 8:45 AM
To accommodate drilling operations on Rose Street, additional road closures are in place for Tuesday and Wednesday.
No vehicle traffic is permitted on Rose between 3rd Avenue and the entrance to the Park and Shop lot at 18 E. Rose St.; and on 2nd between Rose and Main Street. However, the businesses along these roadways are open, and are accessible via the sidewalks on 2nd between Rose and Main Street.
Local traffic only (no through traffic) is permitted on Rose between 3rd and 4th avenues; and on Rose between Colville Street and the Park and Shop lot.
During these closures, parking is not permitted on Colville between Sumach and Rose streets to reduce potential congestion on this block.
Walla Walla Gasoline Release 2023 update 30
Post Date:10/16/2023 12:45 PM
Staff from Washington Department of Ecology, the City of Walla Walla, Walla Walla Fire Department, Clean Harbors, and Aspect Consulting met this morning to discuss the ongoing response, including Ecology's current Incident Action Plan covering the period of Oct. 16-23. Ecology, Clean Harbors, and Aspect are collaborating on each team's individual Health & Safety Plan to ensure a consistent overall approach.
In addition to supporting the investigation and recovery efforts, the City's priority is to reopen 2nd Avenue to traffic as soon as possible. City staff are working with Ecology and Aspect to determine the most efficient way to fund the lease of a property adjacent to the Chevron station, so the filtration equipment can be moved there and 2nd Avenue reopened this week.
An abandoned stormwater lift station at the southwest corner of the Marcus Whitman Hotel appeared to show a sheen and gasoline odor, so crews constantly pumped it over the weekend to remove any contaminated material present.
Crews continue to monitor Mill Creek where it daylights near this location to identify any sheen on the water surface, which could indicate the presence of gasoline. Two boom systems continue to be present on the creek (one just west of 3rd Avenue and one at 9th Avenue, each consisting of a hard and a soft boom) to prevent any potential contamination from traveling downstream.
Testing of water samples taken from within the booms, and the continued visual observation of the creek, have not detected the presence of any sheen or volatile organic compounds in the waterway.
Clean Harbors continues to recover contaminated groundwater from two of the monitoring wells (a third well used for recovery is pumped on Fridays). Pumping operations also continue from the sumps of the hotel and building 106. Ventilation continues to mitigate VOCs from the impacted structures. Dual exhausts have been directed above the hotel, while a single exhaust vent terminates above building 106.
Filtered water is constantly being discharged to Walla Walla's wastewater treatment system at a rate of about 15 gallons per minute. The discharged water is being metered, and totaled just over 86,200 gallons as of Sunday afternoon.
Additional wells will be drilled this week in the area. Drilling operations will likely require two days of road or lane closures on Rose Street, beginning Tuesday.
This update is based on information provided by Washington Department of Ecology and City of Walla Walla Public Works staff. City staff will continue to provide these updates on the City website (https://www.wallawallawa.gov/gasoline) as we receive additional details.
We will be titling these updates "Walla Walla Gasoline Release 2023 update ##" going forward to match Ecology's new name for its incident response.
Photos (courtesy of Washington Department of Ecology)
One of the two collection boom systems installed as a precaution in the Mill Creek Channel. Water testing and continued observation have detected no evidence of gasoline contamination entering Walla Walla's waterways.
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Components of the pumping system that pulls contaminated groundwater through a system of hoses to a frac tank, whence the water is filtered to remove contaminants.
Part of the six-stage filtration system that filters contaminants out of the water pumped from the monitoring wells and sumps.
Part of the six-stage filtration system that filters contaminants out of the water pumped from the monitoring wells and sumps.
Gasoline investigation update 29
Post Date:10/13/2023 1:55 PM
On Thursday, Clean Harbors continued to recover contaminated groundwater from three of the monitoring wells and building 106. Pumping is continuing today via two of the monitoring wells and building 106.
Filtered water continues to be discharged to Walla Walla's wastewater treatment system at a rate of about 15 gallons per minute. Ventilation continues to mitigate volatile organic compounds from the affected buildings.
Staff from Washington Department of Ecology, Clean Harbors, and Aspect Consulting met on Thursday to continue their discussion of further courses of action to be done by each agency and their responsibilities and goals moving forward.
Seven new drill sites were agreed upon; three will be used for plume delineation toward the southwest of the current response efforts, and four will be on Chevron property and be used for recovery. Please note, this drilling will likely require new temporary closures of sections of streets in the area, including Rose Street.
This update is based on information provided by Washington Department of Ecology staff. City staff will continue to provide these updates on the City website (https://www.wallawallawa.gov/gasoline) as we receive additional details.
Gasoline investigation update 28
Post Date:10/11/2023 5:55 PM
Throughout today, Clean Harbors continued to recover contaminated groundwater from two of the monitoring wells and pumping operations continued in the sumps of the Marcus Whitman Hotel and building 106.
Ventilation continues to mitigate volatile organic compounds from the affected buildings.
Filtered water is constantly being discharged to Walla Walla's wastewater treatment system at a rate of about 15 gallons per minute. The discharged water is being metered, and totaled just over 52,890 gallons as of this afternoon.
Additional drilling operations are scheduled to take place next week. Please note this will likely require new temporary closures of sections of streets in the area, including Rose Street.
Staff from Washington Department of Ecology, Clean Harbors, and Aspect Consulting (the contractor hired by the owner of the Chevron station) met today to discuss further courses of action to be done by each agency and their responsibilities and goals moving forward.
City staff received the following statement from the Marcus Whitman Hotel and Conference Center's PR firm today, regarding the hotel's plans to reopen for guests on Thursday afternoon:
"The Marcus Whitman is excited to announce our reopening on Thursday, October 12. Upon reopening, The Marc Restaurant, the Vineyard Lounge and lobby are currently closed. All private events and catering will proceed as scheduled.
"Thank you to our guests, our team members, and the local community for your patience and understanding during this time. We would also like to thank the City of Walla Walla, the Walla Walla Fire Department, Clean Harbors, and the Department of Ecology for your partnership as we worked to ensure the health and safety of our community."
This update is based on information provided by Washington Department of Ecology, Walla Walla Fire Department, and GreenRubino staff. City staff will continue to provide these updates on the City website (https://www.wallawallawa.gov/gasoline) as we receive additional details.
Gasoline investigation update 27
Post Date:10/10/2023 5:30 PM
Pumping operations continue at two monitoring wells and the sumps of the Marcus Whitman Hotel and the 106 building. The material recovered continues to be filtered and the water discharged to the wastewater system. Meanwhile, the incident management team is planning the next steps of the response and Marcus Whitman Hotel and Conference Center management continues to plan the hotel's reopening.
With the reopening of the Walla Walla Post Office today, Sumach Street and the section of North 2nd Avenue between Sumach and Cherry Street have been reopened. Please note, the lanes on this section of 2nd Avenue are currently marked with cones and are narrower than usual, to accommodate equipment on the west side of the roadway.
A temporary ventilation and monitoring system is being used in the basement of the Post Office to ensure safe conditions are maintained for customers and employees.
This update is based on information provided by Washington Department of Ecology, Walla Walla Fire Department, and United States Postal Service staff. City staff will continue to provide these updates on the City website (https://www.wallawallawa.gov/gasoline) as we receive additional details.
Gasoline investigation update 26
Post Date:10/08/2023 3:11 PM
Clean Harbors continues to recover contaminated groundwater from two of the monitoring wells. Pumping operations also continue in the sumps of the Marcus Whitman Hotel and the 106 building, and ventilation continues to mitigate volatile organic compounds from these buildings.
Filtered water is being continually discharged to Walla Walla's municipal wastewater treatment system at about 15 gallons per minute. As of Friday afternoon, just over 15,000 gallons of filtered water had been discharged.
This update is based on information provided by Washington Department of Ecology staff. City staff will continue to provide these updates on the City website (https://www.wallawallawa.gov/gasoline) as we receive additional info from Ecology.
Photos (courtesy of Washington Department of Ecology)
Contaminated water is extracted from a groundwater monitoring well in front of the building at 106 N. 2nd Ave..
A meter measures the flow of filtered water being discharged to the municipal wastewater system.
Ventilation exits the Marcus Whitman Hotel and routes to the roof. This is one of the required steps toward the reopening of public spaces and roadway.
Gasoline investigation update 25 — WW Post Office plans Oct. 10 reopening
Post Date:10/06/2023 5:45 PM
United States Postal Service staff have notified City staff that the Walla Walla Post Office is anticipated to reopen to customers at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 10.
Once the Walla Walla office reopens, it will be open for retail operations from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday; and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturdays. Post Office box access will be available from 6 a.m.-10 p.m., seven days a week.
According to the information provided by USPS, "Customer and employee safety is the top priority of the Postal Service. We apologize for the inconvenience and thank our customers for their patience and understanding during the closure."
A temporary ventilation and monitoring system will be installed in the basement area to ensure safe conditions for customers and employees.
City staff will continue to provide updates about the Post Office reopening and the gasoline response on the City website (https://www.wallawallawa.gov/gasoline) as we receive additional details from the agencies involved.
The Walla Walla Post Office on Sept. 19, 2023
Gasoline investigation update 24
Post Date:10/06/2023 12:50 PM
On Thursday, staff from Walla Walla Public Works and Jacobs (the operator of the Wastewater Treatment Plant) gave approval for up to 25 gallons per minute of filtered water to be discharged into the wastewater system. About 1,900 gallons were subsequently discharged on Thursday. Clean Harbors is expected to resume filtering contaminated water through the six-stage filtration system today.
Clean Harbors pumped about 2,000 gallons of contaminated water from two monitoring wells on Thursday, and approximately 3,000 gallons from the sumps in the 106 building and the Marcus Whitman Hotel.
This update is based on information provided by Washington Department of Ecology staff. City staff will continue to provide these updates on the City website (https://www.wallawallawa.gov/gasoline) as we receive additional info from Ecology.
Gasoline investigation update 23
Post Date:10/05/2023 3:18 PM
On Wednesday, Washington Department of Ecology staff received the results from the testing of samples of water that had been processed through the filtering system. The samples came back as "non-detect for BTEX," meaning there was zero trace of gasoline contamination. Clean Harbors plans to begin discharging filtered water at the Wastewater Treatment Plant today after approval is received from Walla Walla Public Works staff.
Clean Harbors has been pumping material from two of the monitoring wells and plans to begin pumping from a third monitoring well today. A total of around 5,000 gallons were pumped from the wells on Tuesday and Wednesday. About 3,000 gallons per day were pumped from the sumps in the 106 building and the Marcus Whitman Hotel on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Please be advised: Pumping operations from certain wells, and the possible drilling of new wells, will require periodic closures of sections of Rose Street and an additional portion of 2nd Avenue to accommodate the work. These closures will likely not be announced due to their temporary nature. If your commute takes you through this area, please be aware of the potential closures. The response crew thanks everyone for your patience and flexibility during this process.
The hotel is tentatively planning to reopen on Tuesday Oct. 10, dependent on meeting Washington State Department of Labor and Industries and Walla Walla County Department of Community Health requirements.
City Communications staff received a question from a resident regarding the situation at the Walla Walla Post Office. Our contact at the U.S. Postal Service tells us the Post Office is still operating from its temporary location, and there is no new information to provide. When staff receive any subsequent updates, we will pass them along to residents.
This update is based on information provided by Washington Department of Ecology staff. City staff will continue to provide these updates on the City website (https://www.wallawallawa.gov/gasoline) as we receive additional info from Ecology.
Photos
The mixture of water and gasoline that is pumped from the sumps and monitoring wells is deposited into a frac tank, then filtered using a multistage filtration system. The clean, filtered water will be disposed of at the Wastewater Treatment Plant, while the contaminants removed will be disposed of at a hazardous waste facility.
Gasoline investigation update 22
Post Date:10/04/2023 1:55 PM
The focus of the incident response continues to transition from the initial life/safety response to an environmental investigation and cleanup effort.
Clean Harbors crews redirected the vent duct running from the basement of the Marcus Whitman Hotel to vent out above the building, instead of to 2nd Avenue as it had initially been set up. Clean Harbors also added new equipment to introduce additional fresh air into the basement.
The basement has been completely sealed off from the rest of the building. Constant ventilation of the basement continues to keep levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at acceptable levels, and lower explosive limits (LELs) at zero.
With that situation stabilized, the City of Walla Walla Building Official has issued a conditional certificate of occupancy that allows the Marcus Whitman Hotel and Conference Center to be occupied as long as the current conditions are maintained. Hotel staff are currently working on a timeline for reopening for staff and guests/
Clean Harbors continues to pump affected water from the sump pumps in the hotel and 106 building into frac holding tanks. From there, the water is running through a multistage filtration system to remove the contaminants.
Samples of the resulting cleaned water are currently being tested to ensure they contain no trace of contamination. Once investigators receive test results that indicate zero contaminants, the filtered water will be disposed of at Walla Walla's Wastewater Treatment Plant. The contaminants filtered out of the mixture will be transported to a hazardous waste facility for disposal.
Investigators from the Washington Department of Ecology continue to work to delineate the gasoline plume and determine the best method of extracting the contamination from the ground.
Staff at the Wastewater Treatment Plant have been monitoring the wastewater system throughout the incident and have observed no evidence of gasoline entering the system. Similarly, monitoring of Mill Creek continues to detect no evidence of contaminants entering the waterway.
This update is based on information provided by Washington Department of Ecology staff. City staff will continue to provide these updates on the City website (https://www.wallawallawa.gov/gasoline) as we receive additional info from Ecology.
Gasoline investigation update 21
Post Date:09/29/2023 11:30 AM
Washington Department of Ecology has received fingerprint analysis of the gasoline samples and is communicating with affected parties to determine next steps.
The response team is discussing possible methods of creating a "cone of depression" for recovering product and directing the potential plume.
Clean Harbors has mobilized a granulated active carbon (GAC) filtration system for treatment of the impacted water that has been recovered. The system is expected to be set up by Saturday.
Air monitoring conducted regularly by Walla Walla Fire Department at buildings surrounding the affected area has detected no trace of unsafe conditions, so WWFD has suspended monitoring in these buildings and communicated this with the owners and/or tenants. Clean Harbors continues to perform area air monitoring in support of the ongoing ventilation and pumping operations taking place at the hotel and 106.
This update is based on information provided by Washington Department of Ecology staff. City staff will continue to provide these updates on the City website (https://www.wallawallawa.gov/gasoline) as we receive additional info from Ecology.
Gasoline investigation update 20
Post Date:09/28/2023 6:15 PM
Washington Department of Ecology has continued to oversee the pumping operation from the sump in the building at 106 N. 2nd Ave., until extraction from the monitoring wells or other means of source control are implemented. Three of the monitoring wells drilled around the Chevron station are being explored as possible candidates for this extraction.
An additional sump, containing product, was identified in the basement of the Marcus Whitman Hotel. Clean Harbors began the process of recovering product from that sump.
Approximately 20,000 gallons of gasoline/groundwater mixture has been recovered to date, an estimated 1,500 to 3,000 gallons of which is recovered gasoline. This is only an estimate and will be revised in the future. Clean Harbors is working to mobilize a frac tank-based treatment system that will filter out the contaminants from this mixture, prior to discharging clean water to Walla Walla's Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Staff at the Wastewater Treatment Plant have been monitoring the wastewater system throughout the incident and have observed no evidence of gasoline entering the system. Similarly, monitoring of Mill Creek continues to detect no evidence of contaminants entering the waterway.
This update is based on information provided by Washington Department of Ecology staff. City staff will continue to provide these updates on the City website (https://www.wallawallawa.gov/gasoline) as we receive additional info from Ecology.
Gasoline investigation update 19
Post Date:09/26/2023 7:10 PM
Today, the Washington Department of Ecology placed Red Tags (or a Delivery Prohibition Notice) on the underground storage tank systems at the Chevron station located at 7 E. Rose St.
Tightness testing was conducted today by NW Tank on the pressurized lines and tanks for both the regular unleaded and premium unleaded tanks at this station and the Circle K station at 315 N. 2nd Ave. Preliminary results indicate that all lines and tanks passed the precision testing. However, based on environmental contamination discovered within the vicinity of the site, Ecology is requiring the Chevron station's tanks to be emptied within 24 hours and a site check be conducted within 30 days. The owner of the Chevron station has been cooperative and has provided access to investigators throughout the investigation.
The Walla Walla Fire Department handed control of this incident to Ecology this afternoon. Now that the source of contamination has been determined, Ecology will take the lead on further efforts and will share updates as available. WWFD will continue to provide support as needed.
City communications staff will work with our counterparts at Ecology to ensure future updates from Ecology are made available to the community.
Photos
Tightness testing is conducted at the Chevron station at 7 E. Rose St. on Sept. 26, 2023.
Tightness testing is conducted at the Circle K station at 315 N. 2nd Ave. on Sept. 26, 2023.
Gasoline investigation update 18
Post Date:09/25/2023 2:20 PM
Over the weekend, GeoEngineers, guided by the Washington State Department of Ecology and Clean Harbors, drilled more wells along 2nd Avenue and Rose Street, and around the Walla Walla Post Office and the building at 106 N. 2nd Ave. Overall, the team drilled six monitoring wells (which are lined and capped) and five boring sites (which are capped but not lined). Readings performed at two of the monitoring wells revealed significant levels of contamination.
Preliminary testing of the gasoline samples taken from the sump at 106 N. 2nd Ave. indicated the gasoline is modern fuel, meaning it did not come from a decommissioned storage tank in the area. These samples are now undergoing "fingerprint analysis" testing to determine their specific additives and chemical makeup. Fingerprint analysis is also being performed on samples taken from the gasoline tanks at the Chevron and Circle K stations.
The investigation team expects to receive the results of these fingerprint analyses by Thursday, Sept. 28.
Testing of the gasoline tanks and lines at the Chevron and Circle K stations will be performed on Tuesday, Sept. 26, under the direction of the Department of Ecology.
Investigators will analyze the results of the fingerprint analyses, tank and line testing, and locations of contaminated monitoring wells. This combined evidence is expected to reveal the source of the gasoline. Once the source is identified, the response will shift from investigation to ending the contamination and cleaning up its effects.
Clean Harbors is continuing to pump out the sump at 106 N. 2nd, which continues to collect contaminants.
A representative from Washington State Labor and Industries' Consultation Program has arrived and will be working with hotel management to create a plan for reopening.
WWFD continues to perform regular air quality monitoring at buildings around the area, with no changes detected.
The response team appreciates the flexibility of the community as we learn more about the situation and adjust our approach to changing conditions.
City staff will continue to provide these updates on the City website (https://www.wallawallawa.gov/gasoline) as the situation changes.
In response to a question from a resident, City staff checked with our contact at USPS to confirm the time the College Place Post Office closes. That office closes at 5 p.m., which differs from most recent information we had been provided. We have updated our current Post Office information to reflect this, and have added the hours the PO boxes and lobby are open and when the last mail collection occurs each day.
Please note: When City staff have posted these updates on the City website, we had been using the title "Marcus Whitman update xx," since our public communication around the incident began when the hotel was evacuated, and because "Marcus Whitman" is the official name of the incident response.
However, the situation at the hotel has since been stabilized, and the response has expanded to include additional structures and the surrounding area. To reflect the wider spread of the investigation, we will be using the title "Gasoline investigation update xx" going forward. The updates posted on the website from Sept. 18 (when the Walla Walla Post Office closed due to volatile organic compounds detected in its basement) until now have been renamed with the new title to indicate these updates include information about the expanded investigation.
Photos
This pump moves contaminants pulled from the basement sump at 106 N. 2nd Ave. through a system of hoses to another pump, which moves them into a frac tank, on Sept. 25, 2023.
Contaminants are pumped from a hose into a frac tank, on Sept. 25, 2023.
Gasoline investigation update 17
Post Date:09/24/2023 1:33 PM
On Saturday and today, the focus is on drilling additional monitoring wells to help the investigation team delineate the boundaries of the underground gasoline plume.
With the drilling operations moved away from the intersection of 2nd Avenue and Rose Street, the Walla Walla Fire Department reopened Rose to vehicle traffic, as well as 2nd from Rose to Main.
The sump in the basement of 106 N. 2nd Ave. continues to accumulate contaminants, and the Clean Harbor crew has continued to pump it out into frac tanks on site.
WWFD continues to perform regular air quality monitoring at buildings around the area, with no changes detected.
The response team appreciates the flexibility of the community as we learn more about the situation and adjust our approach to changing conditions.
City staff will continue to provide these updates on the City website (https://www.wallawallawa.gov/gasoline) as the situation changes.
Photos
A view of the current operations on 2nd Avenue, looking south from Sumach Street, in the early afternoon of Sept. 24, 2023.
A crew drills a monitoring well in the alley between the Walla Walla Post Office and 106 N. 2nd Ave., on Sept. 24, 2023.
A cover is installed on each monitoring well to provide secure access for investigators to collect samples and perform readings. This well was drilled on Sept. 23, 2023, in front of 106 N. 2nd Ave.
A map showing the closed streets and sidewalks as of Sept. 24, 2023, and the exit lane from the Chevron station onto southbound 2nd Avenue.
Gasoline investigation update 16
Post Date:09/23/2023 1:00 PM
Drilling operations resumed today to determine the boundaries of the underground gasoline plume. GeoEngineers' crew will drill multiple holes, 20 to 25 feet deep, on the east side of 2nd Avenue between Rose Street and Sumach Street. Department of Ecology staff are collecting samples and taking readings to detect the presence of gasoline within in the holes.
Walla Walla Fire Department has established new road closures around this work zone. (An updated closure map is provided in the photos section below.) The new closures were put in place to provide more room for heavy equipment to move and operate in the area.
- Rose Street is currently closed to vehicle traffic between 3rd Avenue and the entrance to the Park and Shop lot at 18 E. Rose St. Several barricades are placed on Rose at Colville Street to alert westbound drivers of the hard closure ahead.
- 2nd Avenue is closed to vehicle traffic between Cherry Street and Main Street, but pedestrian traffic is being allowed on the sidewalks on 2nd Avenue between Main and Rose.
Ecology received preliminary results from the lab testing of the gasoline samples taken from the sumps in the affected buildings. More specific results are expected to be made available in the middle of next week.
WWFD continues to perform regular air quality monitoring at buildings around the area, with no changes detected.
The response team appreciates the flexibility of the community as we learn more about the situation and adjust our approach to changing conditions.
City staff will continue to provide these updates on the City website (https://www.wallawallawa.gov/gasoline) as the situation changes.
Photos
Vehicles and responders on North 2nd Avenue north of Rose Street, on Sept. 23, 2023.
Members of the response team discuss the current drilling work on 2nd Avenue, on Sept. 23, 2023.
A crew from GeoEngineers drills through the sidewalk in front of 106 N. 2nd Ave., on Sept. 23, 2023.
A map showing the closures around 2nd Avenue as of noon on Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023.
Gasoline investigation update 15
Post Date:09/22/2023 11:45 AM
On Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023, Walla Walla Fire Department personnel delivered samples from each of the gasoline storage tanks at the Chevron and Circle K stations to a lab in Portland for forensic "fingerprint analysis." Leak testing of the gasoline lines and storage tanks at both stations is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 26.
Two more wells were put in on Thursday and more hole drilling and well placement is planned for the weekend. Samples will be collected by Department of Ecology staff and sent off for testing, which will help the investigation team track down the source of the gasoline.
A subcontractor, GeoEngineers, has taken on the drilling operations for the wells and for sub-slab vapor testing. In the sub-slab testing, 3/4" holes are drilled through the sidewalk slab to allow for the use of photoionization detectors (PIDs), which detect and measure volatile organic compounds present.
Clean Harbors crews continue their ventilation and pumping operations at the Marcus Whitman Hotel and 106 N. 2nd Ave. The situation at these buildings continues to be stable.
Environmental Protection Agency personnel continue to be on site to provide technical advice regarding groundwater and Mill Creek. There continues to be no evidence of gasoline contamination entering Walla Walla's waterways.
WWFD continues to perform regular air quality monitoring at buildings around the area, with no changes detected.
The response team appreciates the flexibility of the community as we learn more about the situation and adjust our approach to changing conditions.
City staff will continue to provide these updates on the City website (https://www.wallawallawa.gov/gasoline) as the situation changes.
Photos
Personnel from Clean Harbors and the Washington State Department of Ecology inspect a stormwater utility access on 2nd Avenue, on Sept. 21, 2023.
Response equipment is positioned around the front entrance of the building at 106 N. 2nd Ave., on Sept. 23, 2023.
An air quality monitor stands near the outlet to 2nd Avenue of the ventilation system at the Marcus Whitman Hotel, on Sept. 23, 2023.
Gasoline investigation update 14
Post Date:09/21/2023 10:50 AM
Crews drilled two inspection wells on Wednesday afternoon. One well was then lined and the other one is being lined this morning. The wells are lined with a sequence of sand, clay, bentonite (a form of clay) and concrete. After being lined, the wells can be used to extract samples of groundwater for analysis.
Crews expect to drill and line up to four more wells today. The wells will be surveyed to determine the slope of the subsurface ground in the area, which in turn will show investigators the direction in which the groundwater is flowing and help lead them to the source of the contamination.
Pumping operations to remove more contaminated water resumed Wednesday night in the basement sumps at the Marcus Whitman Hotel and 106 N. 2nd Ave., both of which continue to collect water.
The team will take samples from all the gasoline tanks at the Chevron and Circle K fuel stations today and drive them to Portland for forensic "fingerprint analysis." This testing can identify the age of the gasoline, its origin based on its specific additives and chemical makeup, how much it's been affected by the environment, and more. Samples taken at Chevron and Circle K will also be compared to samples taken from the two affected buildings to see if there is a match. All of this evidence will help investigators identify the source of the gasoline.
Under the guidance of the Environmental Protection Agency, Clean Harbors installed additional precautionary collection booms into Mill Creek. Continued observation by EPA staff has detected no evidence of gasoline contamination entering Walla Walla's waterways.
Air-quality monitoring remains in place in the area and Walla Walla Fire Department crews continue to test the surrounding buildings. This ongoing monitoring and testing has not detected the presence of high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or LELs (lower explosive limits) in any new areas.
The U.S. Postal Service has provided an update to its information about the services being provided at the College Place Post Office: "Post Office box customers, and any customer who receives the pickup notice, can collect their mail at the College Place Post Office located 500 S College Ave. ... The office is open Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m." The current information from USPS is always available here.
The response team appreciates the flexibility of the community as we learn more about the situation and adjust our approach to changing conditions.
City staff will continue to provide these updates on the City website (https://www.wallawallawa.gov/gasoline) as the situation changes.
Photos
A crew drills an inspection well into the ground below North 2nd Avenue on Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023.
A collection boom installed as a precaution in the Mill Creek Channel west of 3rd Avenue. Continued observation by EPA staff has detected no evidence of gasoline contamination entering Walla Walla's waterways.
Gasoline investigation update 13
Post Date:09/20/2023 12:50 PM
Walla Walla Fire Department officials have set up an incident action plan, which will be updated daily or as conditions change. The IAP defines the objectives of the response, lists the assignments and contact information of everyone involved, sets a daily schedule, provides maps of the area and other relevant background information, and more.
The current priorities for the response are to identify the source of the gasoline and to ensure the Marcus Whitman Hotel is safe for reoccupation. Investigation into the source is ramping up today.
Clean Harbors and Department of Ecology staff are performing drilling to determine the extent of the gasoline "plume." The drilling will go to a depth of 20-25 feet, beginning to the east and northeast of the hotel and spreading out from there as readings indicate the continued presence of contamination.
Water and soil samples will be collected and sent to a laboratory for "fingerprint analysis" to identify any petroleum substances found within.
At the same time, DOE will perform testing on all the fuel lines and gasoline storage tanks at the Chevron and Circle K stations to detect potential leaks.
WWFD continues to perform regular testing of all the buildings in the area — both north and south of Rose Street. This testing has not detected the presence of high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or LELs (lower explosive limits) in any new areas.
Ongoing active ventilation in the basements of the hotel and the building at 106 N. 2nd Ave. continues to keep the atmosphere stable in those areas.
Walla Walla's Public Works staff and a representative from the Environmental Protection Agency are teaming up to reinspect the stormwater system in the area. Absorbent booms are in use, and continual monitoring has detected zero contamination in Mill Creek. Additional absorbent booms are being installed out of an abundance of caution to ensure the creek remains free of contaminants
The Walla Walla Post Office remains closed and within the fenced-off area. A USPS contractor is traveling here to coordinate a response at that building. Current instructions for sending and receiving mail are available here.
The response team appreciates the flexibility of the community as we learn more about the situation and adjust our approach to changing conditions.
City staff will continue to provide these updates on the City website (https://www.wallawallawa.gov) as the situation changes.
Photos
A team from Walla Walla Fire Department performs an air-quality reading at the basement of the Pantorium building on the corner of 2nd Avenue and Rose Street, on Sept. 20, 2023. No contaminants have been detected in new locations in the area, either north or south of Rose Street.
City staff meet with representatives from the Marcus Whitman Hotel, Clean Harbors, the state Department of Ecology and other agencies to review the current Incident Action Plan and discuss the next steps in the response, in the Walla Walla City Council Chambers, on Sept. 20, 2023.
Gasoline investigation update 12
Post Date:09/19/2023 6:10 PM
On Monday evening, Walla Walla Fire Department crews were performing regular air-quality testing of buildings around the Marcus Whitman Hotel. They found a previously unidentified sump in the basement of the vacant building at 106 N. 2nd Ave., between the Chevron station and the Walla Walla Post Office. Previous testing WWFD performed in that building and its basement had not returned any unusual readings.
Testing within the sump revealed the presence of extremely high concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and LELs (lower explosive limits). This was a similar condition to what was found in the sump of the hotel last Thursday.
WWFD immediately shut off the power and gas to the building and began natural ventilation of the sump and basement. Over Monday night, a Clean Harbors crew began active ventilation of the basement and pumping of the sump. Initial barrels of material pulled from the sump had the appearance and smell of clean gasoline.
The situation at the hotel is stable, with adequate ventilation preventing elevated VOC readings. Clean Harbors continues to clear mud and water from the hotel sump.
Clean Harbors will bring in additional crew and equipment tonight and expects to begin round-the-clock responses at both buildings.
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Regular testing of the sumps in the basements of the Walla Walla Post Office and Blue Mountain Action Council building have not indicated elevated levels of VOCs or LELs.
Similarly, regular testing performed at Kinglet/Seven Hills Winery, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers headquarters, buildings to the south of Rose Street, and elsewhere at BMAC has not detected elevated levels of VOCs or LELs in those buildings.
The Post Office remains closed pending USPS bringing in a team to respond to the elevated VOC levels in its basement. The City communications staff is in contact with their counterparts at USPS and will share updates as we receive them.
The City's previous Marcus Whitman update included the following statement, which had been copied from a USPS news release: "Post Office Box customers can call for their mail at the College Place Post Office." This statement might be confusing — "call" did not literally mean to telephone the College Place location; it meant customers should stop by that office.
USPS has updated its statement to read: "Post Office box customers can collect their mail at the College Place Post Office located 500 S College Ave., College Place, WA 99324."
The USPS collection boxes along Sumach Street on the northern corner of the Post Office property are not available to the public at this time. Mail deposited in the other collection boxes throughout the city is still being collected.
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A tightness test on the suspected gasoline storage tank at the Chevron station was performed Monday afternoon. The tank passed the test, indicating it is not leaking. Thus it does not appear to be the source of the gasoline found in the basement sumps.
The Chevron store and its fuel pumps are currently open for customers, dispensing 87 and diesel fuels only. To alleviate vehicle congestion around the Chevron, City crews have established an exit from the station onto southbound 2nd Avenue (see the attached photo).
A hydrogeologist from the Washington Statea Department of Ecology has arrived and met this afternoon with the City's Environmental Engineer to learn about conditions around the hotel. He will then begin an investigation, which will focus on determining the source of the gasoline and the flow of groundwater in the area, to identify the route the gasoline might be taking. DOE will lead the investigation of additional fuel storage tanks at the Chevron and at the Circle K station at 315 N. 2nd Ave.
There are seven known decommissioned underground fuel storage tanks in the area. These are not currently viewed as probable sources, as the gasoline found in the basement sumps has the appearance and odor of new fuel.
Continued monitoring by Public Works staff has not seen evidence of gasoline in the stormwater system, sewer system, water system, or waterways.
WWFD has established chainlink fencing around the currently closed area to more effectively prevent pedestrians from entering the investigation and response zone.
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The response team appreciates the flexibility of the community as we learn more about the situation and adjust our approach to changing conditions.
City staff will continue to provide these updates on the City website (https://www.wallawallawa.gov) as the situation changes.
Photos
The building at 106 N. 2nd Ave. where high levels of VOCs and LELs were detected in a sump in the basement.
The outlet to 2nd Avenue of the ventilation system installed by Clean Harbors at the Marcus Whitman Hotel.
A contractor performs a tightness test on a gasoline tank at the Chevron station on Rose Street, on Sept. 18, 2023.
The exit lane established from the Chevron station to the southbound lane of 2nd Avenue at Rose Street.
A map showing the closed streets and sidewalks as of Sept. 19, 2023, and the exit lane from the Chevron station onto southbound 2nd Avenue.
Gasoline investigation update 11 - includes current Walla Walla Post Office information
Post Date:09/18/2023 5:14 PM
Note: This update was originally titled "Marcus Whitman update 11." However, since the response expanded beyond the hotel to additional structures and the surrounding area as of Sept. 18, we renamed this update — and subsequent updates — to reflect the wider spread of the investigation.
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City staff are continuing to update this post to include the latest information we receive from USPS. For reference, the original post is still available under the horizontal line below.
Oct. 6 update: United States Postal Service staff have notified City staff that the Walla Walla Post Office is anticipated to reopen to customers at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 10.
Once the Walla Walla office reopens, it will be open for retail operations from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday; and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturdays. Post Office box access will be available from 6 a.m.-10 p.m., seven days a week.
According to the information provided by USPS, "Customer and employee safety is the top priority of the Postal Service. We apologize for the inconvenience and thank our customers for their patience and understanding during the closure."
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Original information from USPS posted at 5:14 p.m. on Sept. 18, 2023 is as follows —
City staff have received word from United States Postal Service regional officials that the Walla Walla Post Office has temporarily moved its operations due to the elevated levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) detected in its basement.
Carriers will operate out of the West Richland Post Office. Mail delivery is not expected to be impacted.
Post Office Box customers can call for their mail at the College Place Post Office. Please bring identification.
This is only a temporary change pending clearance by emergency personnel.
City staff plan to include updates on the Post Office situation in our Marcus Whitman updates as new information from USPS becomes available.
Marcus Whitman update 10
Post Date:09/18/2023 3:49 PM
5:27 p.m. edit: Postal officials have notified the City that the Walla Walla Post Office is now temporarily closed to the public out of an abundance of caution. More information is available here.
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The Walla Walla Fire Department has been performing scheduled air monitoring tests at businesses around the Marcus Whitman Hotel. The only place that has shown a slightly elevated level of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is the basement of the U.S. Post Office. Post Office staff closed the basement and are working with Clean Harbors to create a ventilation plan to remove the VOCs from that space. There have been no elevated levels of VOCs detected in other parts of the Post Office, which continue to be open for employees and the public.
Coordinating with Department of Ecology crews, Clean Harbors has resumed pumping operations at the hotel. They are beginning with the basement stormwater vault area that was emptied on Sunday but appeared to have backfilled with some water overnight. The source of the water can't be determined due to debris in the vault. The crew will pump out the vault again and continue to monitor it.
Next, the crew will drain a stormwater vault and associated system outside the hotel as a precautionary measure.
After that, the crew will return to the stormwater sump in the hotel basement that also was drained on Sunday. Water has reappeared in the sump, as well, possibly due to the resettling of mud in the base of the sump.Crews will remove the water and mud, then inspect the sump to determine whether it has a floor, which could indicate how the water is flowing in. They will reassess based on what they see.
Air-quality monitors running continuously outside of the Marcus Whitman hotel have detected zero concentrations of VOCs or LELs (lower explosive limits) on the street during pumping operations.
The source of the gasoline found in the hotel basement has not been positively identified. DOE will work with a contractor to perform a precision tank tightness test on the 10,000 gallon tank that is suspected to be the source. The testing is expected to happen this afternoon.
DOE staff took samples from the gasoline found in the hotel basement and from the gas station. They are taking the samples to a laboratory today for fingerprint analysis that can determine whether the samples are of the same type of fuel. This will not conclusively indicate whether the gas came from the Chevron station, but it could provide another clue as investigators work to determine the source of the gasoline.
There is no evidence gasoline has entered Mill Creek. Clean Harbors placed absorbent material in all the storm drains in the area as a precautionary measure to prevent any potential contamination of city waterways.
Potential contamination in the ground around the hotel is unknown at this point. If additional contamination is suspected once the hotel basement is cleared, a DOE team will assess the situation and coordinate a longer-term investigation.
The hotel remains closed during these operations. WWFD officials have created a list of standards and requirements that need to be met and approved by various agencies to ensure the safety of staff and guests before reopening. There are currently too many variables to set a firm timeline, but all parties involved in this ongoing response are focused on helping the hotel and the other businesses in its building reopen as soon as is safely possible.
The response team appreciates the flexibility of the community as we learn more about the situation and adjust our approach to changing conditions.
City staff will continue to provide these updates on the City website (https://www.wallawallawa.gov) as the situation changes.
Marcus Whitman update 9
Post Date:09/17/2023 6:30 PM
Crews from Clean Harbors and Washington State Department of Ecology were on site all day today. The continuous ventilation Clean Harbors has in place continues to keep volatile organic compounds at low concentrations and LELs (lower explosive limits) at zero.
Assisted by DOE, Clean Harbors performed one pumping operation in the morning and one in the afternoon. Both operations were successful — contaminated material was removed from the hotel basement's sump and vault, and there were no notable spikes in VOCs in the surrounding area.
The pumping operations ended in the mid-afternoon and could resume following a Monday morning meeting of stakeholders.
Walla Walla Police Department personnel assisted with area security to ensure pedestrian and vehicle traffic would not interfere with the ongoing work being performed.
Walla Walla Fire Department crews continued to monitor the area surrounding the hotel and report no adverse readings were reported.
The response team appreciates the flexibility of the community as we learn more about the situation and adjust our approach to changing conditions.
City staff will continue to provide these updates on the City website (https://www.wallawallawa.gov) as the situation changes.
Image: Clean Harbors crew members transfer contaminated material from a frac truck to a frac tank on the Marcus Whitman Hotel property.
Marcus Whitman update 8
Post Date:09/17/2023 11:00 AM
The contractor, Clean Harbors, found what appears to be pure gasoline present in a 10 foot-deep sump in the basement of the Marcus Whitman Hotel and Conference Center. The gasoline is suspected to have come from a 10,000 gallon tank, containing regular unleaded fuel, belonging to the Chevron gas station across the street at 7 E. Rose St. There is no pipeline connecting gas station equipment to the hotel.
There is no indication any gasoline has entered Walla Walla's underground utility infrastructure or waterways.
Over Saturday night, a contractor pumped out the premium unleaded gasoline from a different tank at the Chevron location, then pumped the regular unleaded from the suspected tank into the tank that had contained the premium fuel.
The suspected tank is now virtually empty and will be tightness tested to detect any leaks once a contractor can be secured to perform the testing. A timeline for this testing has not been identified at this point.
This morning, a Clean Harbors crew is preparing to begin pumping the gasoline out of the hotel's basement sump. They will use pneumatic pumping equipment to eliminate the possibility of the fuel or fumes igniting. The gasoline will be transferred to IBC totes and transported outside to a frac truck parked adjacent to the hotel on 2nd Avenue, and from there transferred to a frac tank located on the northern portion of the hotel property.
A safety plan has been established for the operation. During this work, air-quality monitors in hotel and outside on the street level will be working to detect concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and an LEL (lower explosive limit). Readings in the basement are currently virtually zero due to the ventilation system installed by Clean Harbors.
During the pumping, if the monitors detect VOCs or LELs, an alarm will sound and the crew members will immediately stop pumping and remove themselves from the area. Pumping will then resume once readings indicate the levels are reduced to nonhazardous levels.
A crew from Walla Walla Fire Department is on the scene to provide backup if necessary. Washington State Department of Ecology staff are present to monitor the situation and provide technical assistance as needed.
Crews will monitor what happens within the sump as the material is removed, and will determine their next steps based on their observations and the data collected. There is no estimated timeline for how long this pumping operation will last.
2nd Avenue between Cherry and Rose streets is closed to vehicles and pedestrians, as is Sumach Street between Rose and Colville Street. Customers may use the sidewalk on the south side of Sumach to access the Post Office.
There is no immediate risk to the community, but WWFD and Walla Walla Police Department personnel will be ensuring no one enters this closed area. If you don't need to visit the Post Office or Chevron store, you should avoid the area to limit distractions to the workers and emergency personnel.
The response team appreciates the flexibility of the community as we learn more about the situation and adjust our approach to changing conditions.
The City will provide updates on the City website (https://www.wallawallawa.gov) as the situation changes.
Marcus Whitman update 7
Post Date:09/16/2023 11:07 AM
The extent and source of the gasoline contamination of the ground adjacent to the Marcus Whitman Hotel are not known at this time. Investigation is ongoing.
Ventilation of the hotel basement continues successfully.
Walla Walla Fire Department has reduced the street and sidewalk closures to the section of 2nd Avenue between Rose and Cherry streets, and Sumach Street between 2nd and Colville.
There continues to be no immediate danger to residents or businesses. Businesses in the area may continue to operate as usual with no restrictions.
The response team appreciates the flexibility of the community as we learn more about the situation and adjust our approach to changing conditions.
The City will provide updates on the City website (https://www.wallawallawa.gov) as the situation changes.
Marcus Whitman update 6
Post Date:09/16/2023 8:44 AM
The Walla Walla Fire Department has reopened 3rd Avenue, Rose Street, Cherry Street, and 2nd Avenue between Rose and Main Street. Vehicle and pedestrian traffic is allowed in these areas.
We expect to be able to provide more information after an operational update later this morning.
The City will provide updates on the City website (https://www.wallawallawa.gov) as the situation changes.
Marcus Whitman update 5
Post Date:09/15/2023 4:58 PM
Continued ventilation of the Marcus Whitman basement has virtually eliminated the buildup of gasoline-like odors that caused the evacuation. Clean Harbors has placed monitoring equipment on all levels of the hotel to detect potential contamination of the air. Their crews will work overnight to further improve the ventilation setup.
A crew from the Washington State Department of Ecology is investigating in the area around the hotel to try to identify the source of the substance that caused the odors and determine how it's affecting the area.
The hotel will remain closed until authorities can ensure it is safe for habitation. At this point, there is no estimated timeline for its reopening.
There is no immediate danger to businesses in the area, and they may continue to operate as usual with no restrictions. Businesses on 2nd Avenue between Rose Street and Main Street may be accessed via the sidewalk from Main.
Out of an abundance of caution while the DOE investigation is ongoing, the Walla Walla Fire Department has placed the commercial area directly around the hotel under a Level 1 Evacuation, meaning it would be wise for business owners to consider planning and/or packing, in the event an evacuation becomes necessary. WWFD crews delivered flyers to these businesses to update staff and inform them how they can sign up for area-specific alerts from the Walla Walla Emergency Management Citizen Alert system, by visiting bit.ly/3RmwC8m.
There also is no immediate danger to residential areas, and WWFD has not placed evacuation warnings on any residential areas.
The streets immediately around the hotel remain closed to vehicle traffic while the investigation continues. Streets crews put up No Parking signs to alleviate congestion from traffic due to the street closures. Parking is temporarily not allowed on Oak Street from 2nd Avenue to Colville Street, and on Colville from Oak to Cherry. These parking restrictions will remain in place until the closed streets are reopened.
The City will provide updates on the City website (https://www.wallawallawa.gov) as the situation changes.
Marcus Whitman update 4
Post Date:09/15/2023 9:35 AM
Ventilation of the Marcus Whitman basement is ongoing. Clean Harbor continues to be on site, monitoring the situation. Readings of compound levels in the air have remained stable since last night — they have not increased.
Department of Ecology crews are expected to arrive in the late morning and begin formulating a plan to locate the source of the odor. In the meantime, City crews and utility providers are doing locates of all underground utilities in the area around the hotel.
The Chevron store at 7 E. Rose St. is open for business, but the gas pumps are turned off and will remain off until further notice.
The streets around the hotel remain closed to traffic. The attached map shows the closures. To reduce congestion on the surrounding streets, it is recommended that motorists avoid the area.
The City will provide updates on the City website (https://www.wallawallawa.gov) as the situation changes.
Marcus Whitman update 3
Post Date:09/14/2023 9:00 PM
DOE and Clean Harbor crews are continuing to search for the source and makeup of the material.
This will be the final update today. We anticipate posting the next update around 9 a.m. on Friday.
Please continue to avoid the area.
Marcus Whitman update 2
Post Date:09/14/2023 8:22 PM
Ventilation efforts have allowed DOE crews to get better readings in the building, but the material generating the odor has not been positively identified. DOE and Clean Harbor crews are beginning to enter manholes on 2nd Avenue and Rose Street to narrow down the source of the material.
The City will provide updates on the City website (https://www.wallawallawa.gov) as the situation changes.
Please continue to avoid the area.
Marcus Whitman update 1
Post Date:09/14/2023 7:35 PM
Crews from the Washington State Department of Ecology and Clean Harbor are on site.
DOE has confirmed initial readings and is monitoring the situation. They have narrowed down the source enough to confirm it not propane or natural gas.
Clean Harbor, a cleanup company contacted by the Marcus Whitman, is moving in to ventilate the building. Once the building is ventilated, crews will work to locate the source of the odors.
Emergency responders are not aware of injuries to anyone at this time.
The City will provide updates on the City website (https://www.wallawallawa.gov) as the situation changes.
Please avoid the area at this time.
Marcus Whitman Hotel being evacuated after reports of chemical odors
Post Date:09/14/2023 5:27 PM
Walla Walla Fire Department has received reports of odors of volatile chemicals in the basement of The Marcus Whitman Hotel and Conference Center.
Readings indicate potentially unsafe conditions in the basement, and initial responders have been unable to locate a source.
WWFD has been in contact with the Department of Ecology, and DOE crews are responding to provide assistance.
In the meantime, the building is being evacuated out of an abundance of caution. Please avoid the area at this time.
The City will provide updates on the City website (https://www.wallawallawa.gov) as the situation changes.