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09/26/2008: "FH Finds Another Old Oil Line"

Earlier this month the state Department of Ecology (Ecology) added Friday Harbor Front St. right-of-way, and part of the San Juan Marina, to its list of hazardous sites planned for cleanup. Good thing too, because the job just got a bit bigger.

For the second time since 2006, old pipes used to carry oil and diesel to the cannery site that used to be located south of the ferry landing have been unintentional found by an excavator.



The Town of Friday Harbor’s sewer repair and replacement work ran into the pipe as they excavated for the new sewer line.

The pipe is small, contains only the residue of oil once transported, and was not under pressure, so the “spill” was contained and easily removed.

What is a bit worrisome however, is the lack of knowledge of where other pipes are (or may be) that have not been discovered, and what the condition of these pipes may be, and to what extent -if any- are they too filled with oil that may be slowly seeping out of the rusting pipes and migrating to the bay.