Diesel spill at Ferndale refinery doesn’t reach marine waters

FERNDALE — The Washington state Ecology Department says a diesel fuel leak from an underground pipeline at the ConocoPhillips Ferndale Refinery ended up in a retention pond and didn’t reach marine waters.

Ecology spokeswoman Katie Skipper said Thursday that initial estimates put Wednesday’s spill at 10,500 gallons. The fuel leaked from a six-inch underground line that runs from an aboveground tank to a truck-loading area. Skipper said the fuel ran through ditches to a stormwater retention pond on refinery property.

She says Ecology will continue investigating the cause of the leak and monitoring the cleanup. Vacuum trucks have recovered about 4,000 gallons. The spokeswoman says ConocoPhillips workers will replace the damaged pipe section and remove contaminated soil.