30 years ago – May 11, 1990
Dennis Hotovec said contractors should begin working to contain the gas leaking into North Clear Creek at Black Hawk next week. Hotovec, who represents the state’s underground tank management division said that six monitoring wells and three test holes have been drilled between the Conoco station on Hwy. 119 and the junction of Hwy. 279. Analysis showed contamination from a gasoline or diesel product in all the holes except one. That hole, just above the Conoco station, showed some soil contamination that appeared to be from oil on the surface. Water samples from the creek just below the site of the leak were clear, said Hotovec, indicating that the volatile ingredients are evaporating and the rest is being diluted within a few feet of the seepage. The containment procedure will be as simple as possible, he said. His department neither wants nor intends to needlessly spend huge amounts of money. Once the containment plan is approved and in place, contractors will look for the source of the contamination. Containment should be complete and the search for the source of the problem begun by the end of next week, Hotovec estimated. His department won’t know whether or not it will try to recoup the cost of the cleanup until the source of the fuel leak is determined, he said. Then the department will consider a number of factors, including who owns the property where the seepage originates, and whether the state can realistically expect to collect repayment of the cleanup costs.
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