WEST YELLOWSTONE, Mont. — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has settled with the company whose truck leaked gasoline into Grayling Creek in Yellowstone National Park in 2022.
The EPA alleged that Hi-Noon Petroleum violated the Clean Water Act (CWA) when one of its trucks discharged 4,800 gallons of gasoline into Grayling Creek, located in the park’s northwest corner, on August 19, 2022.
The spill happened after the oil tanker was involved in an accident on US 191 near mile marker 16 in the park. Gasoline ran from the truck off the road and into adjacent wetlands, following a channel to Grayling Creek, which in turn feeds into the Madison River, according to a statement from the EPA.
After the spill, Hi-Noon’s contractor worked with a coordinator from EPA to remove gasoline from the area.
As part of the settlement, announced by the EPA on July 16, Hi-Noon agreed to pay $20,000 and to donate $45,000 worth of spill emergency response equipment and training to the Hebgen Basin Fire District in West Yellowstone, the agency that responded to the spill.
“EPA’s settlement with Hi-Noon underscores our commitment to holding polluters accountable, especially within our national parks,” EPA Regional Administrator KC Becker said in a statement. “This response will help ensure that visitors continue to safely enjoy Yellowstone long into the future.”
