Tullahoma officials report jet‑fuel leak contained; cleanup ongoing, funding options explored

Summary

City leaders said a late‑October release of jet‑A fuel at Tullahoma Airport (about 895 gallons) was contained to a detention pond, that cleanup crews removed roughly 16,000 gallons of contaminated water and 300 tons of soil, and that staff are pursuing EPA grants, insurance coverage and other funding to avoid using UDAG reserve funds.

TULLAHOMA, Tenn. — City officials told the Board of Mayor and Aldermen on Dec. 8 that a late‑October release of jet‑A fuel at Tullahoma Airport was contained and is in an active cleanup phase, but that funding and insurance coverage remain uncertain.

Alderman Bird summarized an incident first reported Oct. 29 by a Vanderbilt Life Flight crew. “The jet‑A fuel release was caused by a bucket that was hanging off of the sump valve handle, resulting in the valve being roughly three quarters of the way open,” Bird said. Emergency responders and an environmental contractor arrived quickly; the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) and contractors confirmed the fuel did not reach Rock Creek.

Bird said cleanup crews have removed about 16,000 gallons of contaminated water and roughly 300 tons of…

Tullahoma officials report jet‑fuel leak contained; cleanup ongoing, funding options explored

Summary

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