By Jessie Burchette
jburchette@Salisburypost
State efforts to clean up an underground fuel spill are making life miserable for an eastern Rowan County resident.
Rick Morgan is tired of the noise from the machinery and the constant smell of diesel at his home at 7575 Bringle Ferry Road.
Morgan asked the Rowan County Board of Commissioners for help during a hearing Monday. And commissioners agreed to delay action on extending a temporary permit for a remediation trailer at the site of the former Craven’s Exxon station (previously the File Grocery) in the 7500 block of Bringle Ferry.
“You wouldn’t want this in your backyard, trust me,” Morgan told commissioners, inviting them to come down and take a look and sniff the air.
While Morgan wants the site cleaned up, he said it’s a quality-of-life issue with the noise and diesel fumes.
Commissioner Jim Sides agreed, asking the board to delay action until commissioners have a chance to visit the site and consider options.
Shane Stewart, the county’s senior planner, said a fuel spill was discovered at the site in 2002 after the removal of underground tanks. In 2004, the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources requested a site assessment which determined that both the soil and groundwater contamination levels are above residential standards.Two adjacent property owners were offered bottled water because of the contamination. One homeowner accepted, but the owner of a mobile-home park refused.
In 2006, commissioners approved a temporary permit for an on-site remediation trailer to carry out the corrective plan approved by the Environment and Natural Resources. A series of wells has been drilled, with air injected into the soil and bedrock. The method, called an air sparge/soil vapor extraction system, releases the particles into the air.
The executor of the Hazel Holder Palmer Estate, which owns the property, filed the application with the county to extend the site permit for the trailer.
Superior Oil Company is managing the clean-up effort. Speaking for the company, Steve Jarrett said that at Morgan’s request, Superior Oil is now shutting the system down between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. daily.
Morgan said he appreciated the quiet time to be able to enjoy the outside, but he said the smell of diesel permeates his home and his property. He asked if there could be a filtering system put in.
Jarrett said there is filtering system in place but added that he’s willing to look at other methods. But Jarrett said his company can’t afford to sink much more money into the project.
Commissioners can make modifications to the permit to ensure health and safety.
County staff is recommending approval of the permit subject to additional sound reduction measures deemed feasible by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
County staff measured the noise level, getting a reading of between 60.3 and 66 decibels.
County regulations limit noise to 70 decibels from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. and 65 decibels from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.