FAIRFIELD, Calif. — An emergency order was issued to the United States Air Force Thursday to speed up actions about taking care of an “ongoing oil discharge” into a Solano County creek.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says the oil discharge is causing a “substantial threat” to water bodies and shorelines in the area.
The oil discharge — into Union Creek from the Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield — was reportedly first identified by the Air Force as early as October 2021, but not reported to officials until February 4, 2022, according to the EPA.
The EPA says “similar incidents” have happened before at Travis Air Force Base.
The order does not cite any drinking water concerns and there is no indication at this time that any of the oil has been detected off of the base, according to a spokesperson for the EPA.
The order was issued under the Clean Water Act which works to establish a “basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants” into waters and regulate “quality standards for surface waters.”
“This order is critical for ensuring that the Air Force addresses the oil discharge into Union Creek in a thorough and timely manner, and that no impacts to public health occur,” said Martha Guzman, EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator, in a press release Thursday. “The EPA is committed to fully utilizing our authorities to make sure that the current oil discharge is stopped and similar incidents are prevented.”
The order says the Air Force notified the National Response Center while reporting a jet fuel spill from an underground pipeline on the base — near the underground storm water conveyance system where Union Creek is routed — August 4, 2022. The EPA says these spill notifications have continued to occur in 2023.
Samples collected from the spill area and Union Creek “indicate the contamination at both areas are likely from a common source,” according to the EPA.
The San Francisco Bay Water Quality Control Board sent the Air Force a notice of noncompliance for discharges of jet fuel to Union Creek December 21, 2022.
“The Air Force has yet to take action to identify and address the source of the oil discharge to Union Creek,” the EPA said in a press release.
The order requires the Air Force to take action and work with other agencies, like the EPA, the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board, California Office of Spill Prevention and Response, and Solano County.
ABC10 reached out to the Travis Air Force Base for comment but no one was readily available Friday evening.
