Arthur Wood has lived along Dickinson Bayou for over 35 years, cherishing the abundant wildlife in his backyard, where herons, deer, turtles, and other animals thrive amidst a bustling community.
However, a fuel spill over the weekend at a nearby gas station has raised serious concerns for him.
“I’m just disgusted with what’s going on in the bayou. That’s my big concern,” Wood said.
The incident happened late Sunday night at a Valero gas station on FM 517 East in Dickinson, well after the station had closed. A routine refueling went wrong, causing a major spill.
Surveillance footage shared with media shows a fuel truck spilling gasoline across the gas station. Dickinson authorities report that neither the driver nor the fueling company reported the spill.
Related Report:
Cleanup efforts underway after fuel spills into Dickinson storm drains, officials say.
As a result, the spill went unnoticed until Monday morning when residents, noticing a strong odor, called the fire department.
“We don’t know how much fuel entered the waterway,” said Derek Hunt, Director of Dickinson’s Office of Emergency Management. “We estimate up to 4,000 gallons spilled. The footage shows the fuel flowing directly into the storm drains.”
The city contacted TXDOT, which oversees the storm drains, as well as the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the EPA to assess cleanup efforts and potential damage.
Hunt also reached out to the fueling company, but said they were “uncooperative,” claiming no responsibility for the spill.
Meanwhile, Wood was alarmed by the strong odor, initially fearing it was coming from his own property.
“I woke up Monday, went into my garage, and the smell was overwhelming,” he said. “I panicked, thinking I had a leaking gas can in there.”
Following resident complaints, Dickinson officials located the spill and cut power to the gas station. TXDOT brought in contracted cleaning crews, who worked through Tuesday to remove as much fuel as possible.
“Fortunately, there’s a device called a duck bill at the end of the storm drain, which prevents water from backflowing and held back much of the fuel,” Hunt explained.
Crews flushed 21,000 gallons of fresh water and cleaning agents through the system. But Wood remains frustrated, fearing the spill unnecessarily impacted local wildlife.
“I’m sorry. He messed up, and he tried to run away from it. Accidents do happen—just shut it off,” Wood said.
ABC13 reached out to the fueling company for comment, but they did not respond. As the investigation continues, the extent of the company’s accountability remains uncertain.
