In September, about 500 gallons of a mud and water mixture used in construction projects spilled into the wetland on Austin-Bergstrom International Airport property. The accident happened during construction of the new jet-fuel storage facility, and the project developer is in the process of remediating the contaminated mud.
Airport officials maintain that the mixture does not contain any chemicals harmful to the wetlands and has not affected any tributaries connecting the wetland to Onion Creek. The cleanup is expected to be completed in March.
The city’s Airport Advisory Commission heard an update on the situation at its Feb. 8 meeting. It was included in a presentation updating the commission on general construction updates for the project, which began in April 2022 and is due to be completed in October 2024.
AUS project manager David Smythe-Macaulay told commissioners the leak happened on Sept. 12, as crews bored a hole beneath the airport runway. The mud and water mixture is commonly used to lubricate holes as crews insert the necessary piping.
The drilling creates a great deal of pressure. “Some of that mud bubbled up to the surface and contaminated the wetland,” Smythe-Macaulay said. “It doesn’t contain any chemicals that would cause any harm to the wetland. As a matter of fact, some grass has grown through the mud even though it’s hardened.”
The spill affected 0.2 acres of wetland. Smythe-Macaulay said the team installed protective barriers to prevent any runoff and that at this point, the mud has mostly stayed in place and not migrated any further.
According to the presentation, the developer immediately notified AUS officials, who inspected the surrounding wetland along with the city’s Watershed Protection Department. The city notified the Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in order to receive authorization for a restoration plan. With those entities signed off, the developer put together a remediation plan that was approved by Watershed Protection in December.
The restoration plan involves removing the dried mud from the area, hauling it off-site and properly disposing of it, excavating the site and refilling it, and planting a seed mix of native plants in order to restore the wetland vegetation.
Chair Eugene Sepulveda noted that the spill occurred just a day before the commission’s September meeting and that the commission has now held five meetings since the incident. He said he wished the commission had been briefed on the matter sooner “in the interest of citizen communication and transparency.”
Activists and homeowners in Southeast Austin have protested against the placement of the facility due to concerns about potential pollution and harmful chemicals near their homes.
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Austin Airport Advisory Commission: The Austin Airport Advisory Commission makes recommendations to the Austin City Council on aviation projects, grants and the Austin Bergstrom International Airport’s annual operating budget and quality of services.
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport: Run by the city, the Austin–Bergstrom International Airport is located on the old site of Bergstrom Air Force Base it opened to to the public on May 23, 1999.
