Morton County to study LEC diesel

MANDAN, N.D. (AP) — The Morton County Commission has decided to spend up to $17,700 to determine the extent of diesel contamination beneath the local Law Enforcement Center.

The study also will look at how best to remedy high water tables underneath the building.

Rising ground water has caused water and fumes from a diesel spill beneath downtown Mandan to seep into the building’s basement. All the offices in the basement were relocated a couple of years ago, but the basement still is used for other purposes.

BNSF Railway in 2004 agreed to pay more than $30 million in cash and real estate to the state and the city of Mandan to settle a lawsuit over the underground spill, though it did not admit liability. As much as 4 million gallons might have spilled, though some has since been cleaned up.

The managers of the settlement fund said county officials must first resolve water table issues below the Law Enforcement Center before getting any help for soil tainted by diesel.

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