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Whatcom Creek Incident
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In June of 1999, a pipeline rupture released 220,000 gallons of gasoline into Whatcom Creek, a small salmon stream that runs through the city of Bellingham, WA. The resulting fire burned vegetation on the banks of the stream and caused damage to Whatcom Falls Park, an important recreational resources for the area.
Acting on the recommendation of state and local environmental agencies, the pipeline operator, Equilon Enterprises, LLC, asked Mike Harding, CPESC to join a team of specialists to develop a comprehensive reclamation plan for the watershed. The team's goal was to renovate Whatcom Creek and protect it from ash and sediment, preparing the area for the fall salmon run which was less than two months away.
The re-vegetation, erosion and sediment control portion of the action plan was delivered to the client within 72 hours of assignment, and greatly aided the community in dealing with soil stability issues following the incident. Chuck Austin, Mike Harding and Ken Chisholm were on-site during implementation of portions of the action plan. In August, two months after the incident, salmon were once again spawning in Whatcom Creek.
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