Environmental Disaster in Gunnison

It amazes me how little press this has gotten. Then again, it's taken me quite some time to blog about it, as well. It shouldn't surprise me, though. This is happening in a small town in central Utah.

I shouldn't pontificate too hard, though. The only reason it caught my eye is because my father grew up there.

Gunnison is the site of the largest gasoline leak in Utah's history. It's estimated that around 10,000 gallons of gasoline leaked from the faulty tanks of a Top Stop filling station into the ground. The gas has travels through different channels down Main Street. The fumes have started seeping into various stores and residences forcing closures and evacuations.

All of this started back in July, and barely anyone noticed.

Now, at least, the company is doing something about it. They've hired Wasatch Environmental to clean up the mess, but sucking out the gas fumes isn't a perfect solution.

When will the gas be gone? When will the citizen's of Gunnison get to return to their normal lives? It's anyone's guess, at this point. Not knowing much about the impact of this kind of environmental disaster, I wonder if they ever will be able to.

Here's some links to help fill you in on the situation.

Unsafe Levels of Fumes Discovered in Gunnison

Huge Gas Leak Threatens Downtown Gunnison

Neighbors Look for Answers in Gas Leak

Why Did It Take Months to Discover?

Comments about the problem at KSL