Oil Spill Cleanup

5/11/2018

As many of you are aware, there was an oil pipe that busted south of the neighborhood. As a result of this pipe busting and high winds, a lot of crude oil has fallen on a large number of homes in SilverHawk. A contractor associated with Sonoco is coming through the neighborhood assessing each property and preparing for cleanup. The contract company is Destech Design and the two individuals are Jeff Coleman and Cody Gordan. Sonoco is taking responsibility and has hired this company to get this cleanup accomplished.

If you have any questions regarding the cleanup, please contact Energy Transfer Partners at 855-430-4491. They have people standing by to take your phone calls.

Here is information that the company posted to our Facebook page:

"Sunoco Pipeline experienced a a release of crude oil the evening of May 10 that resulted in many of your homes, cars, etc., being impacted. We apologize to you and your neighbors for the inconvenience this has caused. Please know that we are committed to working with each of you who have been impacted and to fully cleaning your neighborhood to your full satisfaction as quickly as possible. The cleanup process had begun and the area is safe and secure.
We have set up a toll-free number to address any concerns or questions you may have. This number is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Please mention you are calling from the Oklahoma City area and provide your name, address, phone number and a general description of why you are calling.
Toll-free Number:
855-430-4491
We will provide updated information to you on the status of our efforts as it becomes available.
Sincerely, Sunoco Pipeline"

www.news9.com/story/38163963/okc-fire-yellow-substance-spewing-in-nw-okc-is-crude-oil

Mike Schueler

5/11/2018 04:20:44 pm

Dear Silverhawk neighbors,

I work for a non-profit organization that has considerable legal expertise/resources/contacts, and I want to encourage you not to take this oil leak incident lightly. Do not assume Sonoco (who owns the pipeline that burst) will do the right thing. You need to seriously consider contacting your personal attorney for legal representation in this matter. The fallout from the leak may have long-lasting effects on our property values and even our health, not to mention the immediate cleanup needs.

This morning I spoke to my attorney, Aaron Gwartney, a man whom I trust. Here are some simple things he suggests we all do to protect ourselves, our families and our homes following yesterday’s leak:

1. Take a lot of photos/videos of the oil coating your house, yard, vehicles, etc. Spend some serious time documenting this. I found that wiping a clean white Kleenex on various surfaces is a great way to show the oil that is coating everything.
2. DO allow Sonoco’s contracted inspection team to evaluate your property, but DO NOT sign anything. You may be unknowingly limiting Sonoco’s liability or your ability to seek future damages.
3. You are not obligated to use the contractor Sonoco has hired to do the cleanup. It is your property and you should be able to choose a company you feel comfortable with. Sonoco needs to foot this bill.

If you do not know/have any attorney, I strongly suggest contacting Aaron Gwartney. He came highly recommended to me and did not disappoint. While it is against Aaron’s ethics to solicit other Silverhawk homeowners, he would be willing to represent anyone dealing with this issue, and said banding together would allow us to place greater pressure on Sonoco to do what is right. Below you’ll find Aaron’s contact information; his office is only about 5 minutes from Silverhawk on May Avenue.

Aaron Gwartney
Office: 405-285-8121
Cell: 405-249-3374
Office: 2964 Via Esperanza
Edmond, OK 73013
aaron@GwartneyLawGroup.com

Now, for details related to potential cleanup…

Today Aaron and I met with representatives from Boomer Environmental to get an independent evaluation of the damage to my property. I do not trust Sonoco’s contractors because they have an obvious conflict of interest with us as homeowners: Sonoco’s cleanup company is working for Sonoco, NOT us. This means they are incentivized to do the cleanup as cheaply as possible, and may not be doing what is truly needed to make our homes whole again. The gentlemen from Boomer Environmental (NOT Sonoco’s contractors) were very knowledgable and I had confidence in their assessment. Here are some key things they shared with me:

1. If oil is covering your windows, it is likely covering your roof, which basically means you need a new roof. Here’s why: while the oil can be pressure washed with special cleaning agents like Enviroclean, the process will strip much of the grit from your shingles. If you do not have it cleaned, each time it rains, oil from the leak that is coating your roof will be washed into your yard. This oil will slowly kill your grass and present a toxic hazard for kids, pets, etc. Sonoco should pay for a new roof, NOT you.
2. Boomer Environmental told us there are some objects which simply can’t be effectively cleaned. Trampolines, wooden playgrounds, swingsets and sandboxes are good examples. Since many of the surfaces are porous, the oil can’t be completely removed. These items much be thrown away and replaced. Again, it is not your responsibility to pay for these replacements, it is Sonoco’s.
3. It is likely that many of the plants and grasses exposed to the oil will die, though it may take time as the oil is slowly absorbed by the plant. You need to plan on addressing this in the damages you seek.

I hope this information can be helpful to you. Let’s work together to fix this mess!

Mike Schueler
17325 Shadow Hawk Lane
Silverhawk
Cell: 804-349-6485

Jeff Echeverry

5/12/2018 11:50:26 am

Has anyone heard of them agreeing to replace the roof? And has anyone agreed to let them clean the outside and then hold off on the roof?

5/13/2018 12:51:42 pm

Not yet. I spoke to their rep about this today and they did not indicate either way. They do not seem to be very concerned about the roofs, which makes no sense to me. Everytime it rains it will wash more and more oil into our yards and storm drains.

Josh Bergevin

5/12/2018 05:34:53 pm

Does anyone know if there are affects on ac units?

Eric

5/15/2018 09:54:34 am

I think they should be pretty well-shielded from the elements, maybe if the condenser coils outside are pretty well covered you might want to push to have them professionally cleaned instead of just lightly power washed with the detergent stuff they are using. Mine was very lightly speckled on the top surface so I just let them wash it off gently, no issues here.

Linda Cameron

5/11/2018 08:04:32 pm

There are black ants in my garden and yard. I did not have ants prior to the oil spill Is anyone else experiencing this? Also, some of the tips of the more delicate shrubs are starting to turn brown,

SilverHawk HOA

5/13/2018 12:31:06 pm

If you indicate that the plants are damaged, they will replace those as well.

5/11/2018 08:52:35 pm

My initial thoughts are that the HOA should consider having an independent company assess the current, possible short-term, and possible long-term impact on the properties. I continue to advocate for a neighborhood meeting early next week with the attorney who has worked with the HOA present. Certainly there is a cost for these services; however, I feel the cost is a prudent investment as these individuals should be able to provide information that should assist residents in deciding how they want to proceed.

5/11/2018 10:16:27 pm

I encourage Silverhawk residents to contact RYAN MARTINEZ our state representative to request that he stay apprised of this situation.

5/13/2018 12:53:21 pm

Linda,

I agree that we should have an HOA meeting about this. I believe there could be serious implications for future property values.

Mike Schueler
17325 Shadow Hawk Lane

Anne Fast

7/11/2018 04:22:08 pm

Yes, we have had issues since the rinse of the home. Seems cleaning agent removed all our pest control services chemicals that kill pest and prevent infestation. As well the cleanup process did ruin my roof and outside paint which hopefully is cosmetic and easily replaced. This is our investment property and we have lost not only our rental earnings each month since but the loss of earnings created a financial strain as the home is now not being rented. Thus our prepaid vacation to Scotland in Sept is at risk. I swear I will freak out if we miss it .. I have planned this trip since 2011 and it took two years to pay just for the cottages in Inverness. Joshua and I have been strained financially as we never had issues renting before. The damage has yet to be fixed and we financially never planned for this, we are wondering if anyone else has been effectively hindered by the lack of progress and payment. We just want to move forward with our trip and our lives. Today, we have asked for immediate financial assistance to be provided. And repairs made such that we can get our home rented out again. Looks like we will go to court if this is not resolved by July 15. Attorney Ryan Leonard will be helping us from Leonard & Sullivan if need be. We hope to resolve this matter without getting legal assistance. Has anyone received their reimbursement for damages? If so, what roofing company did you use?

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