The City of Lander announced Sunday that the Maverik gas station pumps on East Main and Caring Way has closed after concerns remain of a fuel leak from the area into the nearby Popo Agie River.
On Saturday, the Department of Environmental Quality and Environmental Protection Agency told County 10 that they believed they had the fuel leak, “mainly contained.” Maverik was allowed to reopen last Friday after being closed earlier last week while an investigation began.
The Barney bridge and pathway will remain closed for the foreseeable future while crews continue to work on the issue.
Many Fremont County residents told County 10 last week they were concerned with the situation for both the environmental and wildlife impacts, as well as drinking water quality. The City of Lander, who’s drinking water primarily comes from several miles before the spill occurred, has announced there are no issues with water and that it’s constantly being tested, as it always is.
Rural areas and some locations on the Wind River Indian Reservation are more likely to have affected water, as they receive it from downstream of where the leak is occurring.
Neither the EPA or DEQ has officially called the incident specifically a fuel spill, however, Wyoming DEQ Public Information Officer Keith Guille told us it is a “refined product, like gasoline.”
Booms and skimmers remain in the water to help collect the unwanted liquid from flowing downstream.
County 10 reached out to a Maverik employee last Friday who said they were aware of the problem but could not comment on the issue. Attempts to reach out to Maverik’s corporate office have gone unreturned.
While the pumps are closed, the convenience store remains open.
The EPA created a website for updates on the situation, you can follow that here.