WARREN, Pa. (Erie News Now) – The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is monitoring the situation at a United Refining Company facility blamed for a smell in the Warren area over the weekend, according to a statement issued Tuesday.
The DEP said it is the result of a malfunction of a floating roof on a tank, which caused emissions and odors from the naphtha in the tank to escape. United Refining said the equipment failure happened Friday and called it a natural petroleum vapor.
After finding out about the malfunction, United Refining began pumping the tank down, according to the DEP. The company also applied foam to the surface of the material in the tank to control the emissions at the DEP’s request.
“The draining of the tank will continue to take some time, but the foam is working as it should,” the DEP said in a statement.
DEP staff has talked to residents who have complained about the smell and conducted monitoring Sunday and Monday.
DEP officials said they are investigating how the malfunction happened and what United Refining did to quickly address the situation.
We’re told it is too early to say what, if any, legal actions or penalties may apply.
In a statement Sunday, the company apologized to its neighbors and thanked them for their patience.
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