One year after the evacuation of the Marcus Whitman Hotel, the cleanup of the gasoline leak continues | Business

Officials at the Marcus Whitman Hotel & Conference Center — which temporarily shut down operations last year due to an underground gasoline leak — said they were “frustrated” with the slow cleanup process and wanted assurances that another gasoline leak would not occur.

“We were as patient as possible,” said Ken Lederman, the hotel owner’s lawyer.

On Thursday, September 14, 2023, guests and employees evacuated the Marcus Whitman Hotel because a mysterious odor permeated the building. The closure prompted a year-long investigation and cleanup of an underground gas leak that state authorities said originated from the nearby Chevron gas station, 7 E. Rose St., in downtown Walla Walla.

Now, in September 2024, the Washington State Department of Ecology, the Marcus Whitman Hotel and the owners of the Chevron gas station, Stillwater Holdings LLC, are still working to find a permanent solution to the gas leak.

Chevron station owner Ben Kleban of Stillwater Holdings LLC continues to doubt that his station was the source of the leak, even though Ecology has repeatedly confirmed that finding since it was first published last September. Kleban said he will resume selling gasoline next month from two tanks unrelated to the leak.

Lederman said it was “inappropriate” to discuss the cause of the gas leak at this time and said he was frustrated by the slow progress in fixing the problem.

He said the hotel had to go through a slow and expensive reconstruction process to reopen and ensure air quality in the hotel was safe for guests and employees.

“We are the victims” of the gas leak, he said.

The gas leak also caused the temporary closure of the Walla Walla Post Office (128 N. Second Ave.) and a nearby vacant building (106 N. Second Ave., just north of the Chevron gas station), which was designated Building 106.

Renovation

Beth Kercher, the Department of Ecology's site manager for the Walla Walla gas leak, said Ecology is working on a permanent solution with funds from Ecology's backlog and the Pollution Liability Insurance Agency.

“With these funds, we have hired a company to help us contain the swamp water, which means pumping and treating the water before it is discharged into the city sewer system, and also to help contain the water vapor entering the Marcus Whitman (Hotel) and Building 106,” she said.

Kercher said tests were conducted in August to see if wastewater from Building 106 was entering the city's sewer system. Wastewater from the Whitman Hotel was also tested using a dye test with Ecology to make sure it was entering the sewer system properly.

She said this was done due to concerns raised by the owner of Building 106 and that Ecology had “confirmed that it would be properly connected to the correct municipal sewer line.”

In the long term, Ecology plans to install more permanent water treatment and vapor penetration systems and remove the underground storage tanks and the contaminated soil surrounding them.

Sell ​​gas

Kleban, of Stillwater Holdings LLC, has owned the Chevron gas station since 2022 and said the ordeal has had a devastating impact on his business, forcing him to lay off employees. The station has stopped selling gasoline, but the store remains open.

The Department of Environmental Protection has repeatedly stated since late September 2023 that one of Chevron's underground storage tanks was the source of the gasoline leak. On Wednesday, September 11, Kleban reiterated his claim that the tank on his property may not be the source of the leak.

“The tank that used to store regular gasoline will be shut down permanently, even though it doesn't appear to be leaking,” he said. “We just don't want to take any risks with that.”

Kleban said the gas station's pumps are expected to reopen on Tuesday, Oct. 1, but there could be delays if contractors encounter unexpected obstacles.

He also said he is working with the Ministry of Ecology to take the necessary steps to reopen his business.

Before reopening, he said, the station would have to decommission the leaking underground storage tank and replace the fuel dispensing equipment – except for the tanks themselves, such as piping, turbines, sumps, valves and pumps.

“And then the other two tanks, which should actually be in good condition, will be reactivated, so that we will again sell all three types of gasoline, but no diesel,” said Kleban.

Funding for the reopening would come from the company's insurance policy and from the Chevron Group, Kleban said.

In addition, he said, Ecology has secured $2 million for the gas station site and the department has indicated it may remove the underground tanks, although that is not expected to happen in the near future.

Kleban said his reasoning for not removing all the tanks was cost.

“This work simply exceeds our resources by far,” he said.