UPDATE: The city of Galesburg says remediation efforts are now complete and water access to Lake Storey will reopen Saturday, March 2, on guidance from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.
Remediation efforts at Galesburg’s Lake Storey are expected to wrap by the end of next week -- about a month after city of Galesburg workers discovered red-dye diesel fuel was leaking from a generator on state-owned surplus property.
The generator at the former Animal Disease Laboratory, 2100 S. Lake Storey Road, had no current operational purpose, according to the Illinois Department of Central Management Services.
Following the discovery of the leak on Feb. 8, the state contracted EnviroServe to handle cleanup efforts and the city of Galesburg closed water access to the lake.
EnviroServe has deployed absorbent booms and removed water and fuel from the lake using frac trucks.
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency has also been involved with the response to what’s considered a relatively small leak – less than 300 gallons.
The diesel flowed from the malfunctioning generator into a storm drain, then into a creek, and another 200 feet to the outfall of Lake Storey.
CMS spokesperson Cathy Kwiatkowski told TSPR remediation efforts are expected to conclude by Friday, March 8.
“CMS staff remains on-site daily with our environmental contractor, and we remain in constant contact with the local authorities and IEPA,” Kwiatkowski said.
But the city of Galesburg announced early Friday evening that remediation efforts are now complete and water access to Lake Storey will reopen Saturday, March 2.
"The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency has concluded its assessment of the lake and found no evidence that would suggest the city could not reopen it for public usage," reads the release.
TSPR asked CMS for the cost of remediation efforts thus far, but Kwiatkowski said that information is not yet available.
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