Fuel Contamination Reported At Regional Airport, Cleanup Process Begins

Upper Cumberland Regional Airport officials found fuel contamination in the soil around an underground fuel tank.

Airport Engineer Richard Rinks said the work continues to determine the extent of the issue and then, begin the cleanup process. Rinks said he had no idea the financial ramifications of cleaning up the issue. The issue discovered as airport officials removed the old underground tanks. Rinks said the leak was found in a jet connection.

Rinks told the Airport Board Tuesday night the airport pays into a fund to deal with such issues.

The cleanup will be overseen by TDEC officials and Rinks said the board must follow procedures to deal with it. That includes removing the soil and disposing of it properly.

The airport installed new above ground tanks with larger capacity last year. Rinks said at the time they did not know if they would find issues with fuel links in the soil.