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Union Pacific, state officials tell Dunsmuir council oil seep removed; company urges public to stay off restored railyard
Summary
Union Pacific and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife updated the council on shoreline remediation along the Sacramento River, saying oil removal and restoration work have removed seepage and that the railyard remains private property, not open for public access.
Union Pacific and state spill-response staff updated the Dunsmuir City Council on a shoreline remediation project along the Sacramento River that has included wet excavation, retaining-wall removal, in-river isolation barriers and multiple years of restoration work.
Peggy Egbuhime, representing Union Pacific, said the project aimed to remove oil that had been seeping into the river. "We no longer have oil seeping into the river," she told the council. Anna Burkholder of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife's Office of Spill Prevention and Response described work this year: wet excavation to bedrock, backfilling with clean fill, fabric-encapsulated soil lifts with willows and planting layers, and plans to pause heavy work during winter and resume in 2025.
Union Pacific representatives and the sergeant at the meeting also warned attendees that the rail yard is private property and that trespassing can lead to criminal charges. Company staff encouraged residents to call the company with questions about access. Council thanked the presenters and asked that the company remain available for public-comment follow-up during the meeting.
The presentation included a timeline (2023 action area and 2024 work), photographs of excavation and isolation barriers, and a near-term schedule running the site-restoration work into January 2025 before pausing for winter weather.
