Oil spill reported at closed truck stop

State and local officials were called to the closed Tucumcari Truck Terminal on the city’s west side last week to contain a motor oil spill.

New Mexico State Police on the evening of Sept. 18 notified the New Mexico Environment Department about the oil release at the site at 3700 W. Tucumcari Blvd., also formerly known as Ortega Shell Truck Stop.

George Estrada, public relations coordinator of the Environment Department, stated the coordinator worked with state police and the City of Tucumcari’s hazardous materials team to contain the spill.

“NMED staff are investigating the incident to identify the responsible party and begin cleanup activities,” Estrada wrote in an email. “Initial reports indicate that the release does not appear to have affected any waterways.”

Estrada said he didn’t have an exact estimate on the volume of the oil spill, but it was less than 1,000 gallons.

The truck stop is an active site with the Environment Department’s Brownfields Program that seeks to clean contaminated property. The site has been blighted for years by leaking fuel.