County Cites ARCO Over Ammonia Leak
Los Angeles County officials cited the Atlantic Richfield Corp. Wednesday, alleging two violations of the health and safety code for a leak of 8,000 gallons of heavily diluted ammonia from the company’s Placerita Canyon power plant Tuesday night.
Walter Urloff, a hazardous materials specialist for the county health department, said the company was notified that it must test the soil and clean up any contamination or face criminal sanctions.
The liquid, estimated to be more than 96% water, leaked from an ammonia holding tank after a worker forgot to turn off a water hose running into a containment pod at the ARCO steam and cogeneration plant near Sierra Highway and Placerita Canyon Road.
The fluid spilled over the tank and flowed down a canyon and along nearby Oak Orchard Road and Oakcreek Avenue into the dry bed of Placerita Creek. Many neighbors complained of annoying odors, but Urloff said the solution was probably not strong enough to cause serious environmental damages.
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