In an expensive misstep for Kelowna Corporation, the entity behind a Chevron station in Cheney, the Washington Department of Ecology has levied a $315,000 fine against them for a diesel spill incident. The case stems from a 2023 event where diesel-laden water was dumped from a containment tank into stormwater systems, polluting Minnie Creek and neighboring wetlands, as reported on the Washington Department of Ecology.
A call from the Cheney Fire Department first alerted authorities to the environmental breach, noting both a visible sheen and the unmistakable stink of diesel on July 19, 2023; the ensuing probe by the Department of Ecology tracked the problem back to the gas station, where a modified containment vault was found to be funneling runoff straight into a storm drain that empties into Minnie Creek although the company should have known better, the vault's setup bypassed essential filtration, and inspection reports detailed additional issues including an alarm system failure, lack of proper ventilation, and apparent rerouting of roof drains to route directly to the compromised vault, apart from apparent signs of lasting water damage.
The mishap sent an estimated 1,058 gallons of red-dyed diesel into the creek and dampened locales, while another 77 gallons saturated the adjacent soil; the contaminant spread extended for a 75-yard patch along the creek. Although the investigation concluded without finding directly affected wildlife, the area in question, including Minnie Creek and the scabland zones to the north of the Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge, is recognized as ecologically sensitive—known particularly for its diverse avian populations and as a habitat for various ecosystems, from the wetlands to the ponderosa pine varieties.
