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Whitehall mayor says air samples show no detectable toxins after GFL refinery spill; creek cleanup ongoing
Summary
Mayor Michael T. Bivens told the Whitehall City Council the joint unified command handling the GFL refinery oil spill has recorded no detectable volatile organic compounds or benzene at nine city air‑sampling sites; crews remain working in creek beds and water testing is planned after removal and flushing of visible oil.
Mayor Michael T. Bivens told the Whitehall City Council on June 3 that the city is working with a joint unified command — including GFL Refinery, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Franklin County agencies and the Defense Logistics Agency — to respond to an oil spill that has affected local waterways and shorelines.
Bivens said air sampling devices have been placed at nine locations across the city and, “as of today, all zeros in volatile organic compounds, benzene, LELs … and oxygen is consistent with ambient air.” He said the sampling includes both discrete air samples and ongoing air monitoring and that the city will continue to track results.
The mayor described the current priority as removing sludge and visible oil from creek beds. He said crews are working along waterways and that, once water levels fall, responders will perform a “complete flushing of the creek with soap,” followed by water‑quality testing. He said the cleanup effort is expected to take “several weeks, if not months,” before the incident is declared fully abated.
Bivens said GFL plans to provide an 877 hotline for residents and will distribute door hangers with the company’s contact information; the city agreed to allow the city logo on those door hangers. He also said the Unified Command has encouraged residents with gardens near creeks to remain vigilant and that officials are monitoring possible impacts to soil and wildlife.
Councilors and residents asked whether water testing has started; the mayor said crews are focused first on product removal from waterways, and that water sampling and testing will follow abatement of the visible contamination. He emphasized the two‑part monitoring approach — sampling and continuous monitoring — and reiterated that current air samples show no detectible hazardous compounds at the listed sites.
City officials provided the nine sampling locations described at the meeting: Roosevelt Avenue near DSCC; 3364–3398 Allegheny Avenue; 310 North Yearling; 4140 East Broad Street; 455 Beechwood Road; 730 Collingwood Avenue; 3688 East Livingston Avenue; 2256 Courtwright Road; and 4001 Refugee Road.
The mayor invited questions and said he is participating in on‑site briefings and community outreach as the response continues. Residents with immediate concerns are being directed to the Unified Command hotline once it is active.
The mayor’s remarks were delivered during his report at the council’s June 3 meeting; no formal council vote occurred on the cleanup actions during the session.
The city will post updates to the council and the city website as sampling and abatement progress.
