City works to clean up diesel fuel spill

City of Newton staff have been working today to mitigate a diesel fuel spill at Newell Travel Center.

The fuel is believed to have originated from a leak in a fuel tank at the truck stop. Newell staff said at least 20 gallons of diesel fuel were spilled.

City staff became aware of the spill when a resident on Sunday reported smelling and seeing diesel on the surface of the drainage ponds in Rolling Hills neighborhood.

Today, City staff called in an environmental remediation contractor, Eagle Environmental of Wichita, to help with the cleanup.

A floating absorbent boom has been placed in the ponds to absorb hydrocarbons, and an environmentally friendly neutralizing agent has been sprayed around the edges of the ponds and in stormwater inlets in the area. City staff don’t believe the fuel traveled beyond the ponds.

Newell Travel Center will be cited and fined according to the City’s stormwater pollution ordinances and will be billed for the cost of the cleanup.