WVDEP Responding to Used Oil Release in McDowell County; Leak Stopped and Cleanup Underway

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A valve failure on a storage tank resulted in the release of approximately 100 gallons of used oil at a Diversified Energy compressor station near the Eckman area of McDowell County.

The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) is on-site and responding to the incident. The leak has been successfully stopped, and response crews have contained the spill. Out of an abundance of caution, crews have also deployed additional downstream control measures to protect the surrounding environment.

Most of the released material was captured within existing control structures at the site. However, a portion of the material reached Coalbank Branch, where environmental contractors installed containment booms and other recovery measures. At this time, no fish kill has been observed.

There are currently no reported impacts to public water systems. Out of an abundance of caution, downstream public water utilities were immediately notified of the incident, and environmental officials confirm that municipal drinking water remains unaffected.

The Diversified Energy equipment is next to a permitted mine haulroad site owned by Mid-Vol Coal. Material collected within the site's drainage control structures has been removed and additional land remediation is ongoing to prevent any further release into the watershed.​

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