The New York State Department of Environmental Conservations’ (DEC) active remediation process in the jet fuel spill caused by human error at the Gardiner Airport has ended.

“As of Oct. 19, no recoverable product was observed on the retention pond, tributary stream, or the Wallkill,” the DEC said.

DEC Daily Dispatch Dan Bendell said the booms are being inspected twice a week during the two-week period after Oct. 19, after which the DEC will reevaluate the status of the spill.

The spill released 2,000 gallons of jet fuel from a tank on Skydive the Ranch’s property, according to the DEC spill report. The above ground tank from which it leaked has a capacity of 9,000 gallons. The tank became of service in Sept. 2000.

William Richards, Co-Owner of The Blue Sky Ranch, said an independent contractor left a hose nozzle out without turning the nozzle off. While they turned the tank off, fuel leaked out of the nozzle due to the natural effects of gravity.

“This is not something that could be prevented by anybody, this was literally like somebody left a garden hose on the ground and walked away,” Richards said.

The fuel leaked out over the course of a day before it was discovered.

Richards said the independent contractor was fired and he will be more emphatic about reminding visitors to stow away hoses properly.

The DEC responded to the spill on Oct. 7, when the Gardiner Fire Chief reported odors and a sheen on the Wallkill River.
The jet fuel traveled several hundred feet across the airfields and ran into nearby drainage swales and the retention ponds on the airport’s property. While most of the fuel ended up in the pond, some of it crossed Sand Hill Road and followed a small stream a half mile to the Wallkill, causing odors and a sheen on the river.

The DEC contracted American Petroleum Equipment and Construction Company, Inc. to place booms in the retention pond, streams, drainage swales and the river.

American Petroleum excavated and screened with a photoionization detector impacted soils along the path of release. Excavations ranged from 12 to 20 inches below ground. The impacted areas is underlain with impermeable clay that kept any fuel from getting into groundwater. The underlying clay was also field screened and determined to be uncontaminated.