South Lake Tahoe, Calif.— The U. S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) and ARAMARK Parks and Destinations are working to determine the extent of a fuel release from an underground storage system at Zephyr Cove Resort, on Lake Tahoe’s East Shore. The resort is operated by ARAMARK under a special use permit issued by the LTBMU.
ARAMARK reported a release to the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP) on June 27, 2011. The release was discovered during the replacement of fuel pumps to two tanks that are a part of the system. During the replacement of the fuel pumps, repairs were made to the suspected source of the release. The fuel supplies resort operations, including its fleet of rental watercraft and the sightseeing paddlewheeler, the M.S. Dixie.
With NDEP approval, ARAMARK worked under the direction of a third-party Nevada Certified Environmental Manager to develop a testing plan aimed at determining the extent of impact from the release. Soil and groundwater samples were obtained on Monday, July 18, 2011. Results of the sample analysis are expected next week.
As a precautionary measure, samples of the resort’s water supply were sent for testing. The results show that the water supply is free from petroleum contamination.
“We are working with ARAMARK to determine the extent of the release, and then to pursue any needed clean-up,” said Nancy Gibson, LTBMU Forest Supervisor. “I want to assure local residents and resort visitors that we and ARAMARK are committed foremost to their health and safety, as well as the water quality of our Lake.”
