Refinery issues statement in response to river spill

Friday's fuel spill second into SA river in 2 months

New safety measures are being put in place at the Calumet Refinery after a fuel spill into a tributary of the San Antonio River on Friday.

Less than a hundred gallons of fuel made it into the waterway, but it was the second spill from the refinery in two months.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is investigating and the San Antonio River Authority expressed concerns about the safety practices at the plant.

On Wednesday, Calumet spokesman Noel Ryan issued this statement:

"On Saturday, April 12, a small amount of jet fuel was released from Calumet's San Antonio Refinery. Local Calumet personnel worked in collaboration with the San Antonio Fire Department HAZMAT to contain the spill and perform initial cleanup. Representatives from the San Antonio River Authority (SARA) and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) were also involved in the direction and investigation of the spill cleanup. Cleanup efforts reached completion on Sunday, April 13, however, due to heavy rainfall in the local region on Monday, April 14, we maintained containment booms on the river. The containment booms were removed on Tuesday, April 15 and the Mission Reach parkway is open to vehicle traffic as of this morning.

"Calumet's San Antonio refinery is committed to operating in a manner that ensures plant-wide compliance with environmental and regulatory guidelines. In response to the recent release of jet fuel, refinery personnel will implement a number of initiatives to prevent future releases, including the installation of additional safety mechanisms for the railcar loading system, enhancement of containment systems in the railcar loading area, and additional training of operators involved in loading rail cars. Refinery personnel will be cooperating with SAFD, SARA, and TCEQ to address current and future concerns and implement any corrective actions identified in that process."