What can be done to prevent recurrence of dangerous and costly oil tanker accidents in Provo Canyon?
Since mid-August at least six crashes have occurred. In most instances the tanker rigs overturned, spilling varying quantities of oil.
Besides danger to life and property and monetary loss, the accidents in the canyon pose an environmental threat in the possibility of a crude oil spill into Provo River or Deer Creek Reservoir.
One large spill just above Deer Creek Dam resulted in a very small amount of oil reaching the reservoir; another near Wallsburg sent oil flowing toward Wallsburg Creek but the oil “set up” in the snow before reaching the water; and a crash near the mouth of the canyon spilled oil over a sizable area alongside the highway.
At least two accidents (including one last Friday morning) occurred as oil tankers attempted to make the turn-off at the Canyon Road west onto Orem’s Eighth North.
Right now the use of the canyon by oil tankers is abnormally heavy. A Highway Department spokesman said trucks of five tons and over are being diverted through Provo Canyon while parts of I-80 through Parley’s Canyon are under construction. One major trucking firm confirmed it plans to use the Parley’s Canyon route when the highway is finished, probably in June.
Obviously a better highway (the State Highway Department has proposed three possible alternatives for construction) will do a great deal to make vehicular traffic safer.
Other measures could help – such as better posting of the highway for trucks; and more intensive trucking company safety programs; and increased patrolling.
Mainly, oil being trucked is a waxy crude from one well that has a high temperature-pour level and can’t be transported via the existing 74-mile pipeline from Hanne to the Salt Lake refineries until heating plants are installed at three points.
The oil company-proposed heaters were ruled by the air conservation of the Utah Health Division as meeting state and federal air standards. But groups concerned with air pollution protested. Following hearings, the matter now awaits a ruling.
We wonder if those concerned about heater emissions have weighed all environmental factors. Do these emissions, for example, outweigh the risk of a trailer load of oil being dumped into the river or reservoir?
The Utah Environmental News of the health division for February said trucking the oil will necessitate about 100 round trips a day. “This will mean more air pollution being generated by the trucks than the heating plants, with the acknowledged difference that the latter are not moving sources. An additional important difference is that use of the pipeline will eliminate the possibility of oil spills along the highway, which have become more numerous in recent years.”
There are many factors to be studied. As for an immediate concern: Accidents in the past definitely have illustrated the hazard that exists. Now is the time to heed the warning.