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Some 50 area residents attended the Conway School community meeting Feb. 6 to gain more information about the Dec. 10 Olympic Pipeline gasoline spill near Conway and the ongoing cleanup, local media reported.

Billed as an open house, residents could speak with the 25 experts from state and federal agencies and bp, the company managing the pipeline, answered their questions. A presentation was made at a Zoom online webinar Feb. 7. Questions and answers followed.

Operational update

Last week a sheet pile wall was constructed to build a cofferdam, which creates a barrier between the water of Hill Ditch and the bank so the affected soils next to the ditch may be removed without impacting the water.

A dewatering system to ensure excavation stability and to maintain a safe working environment will be installed to remove water from the soil inside the cofferdam by the end of this week.

Fish exclusion nets are in place to keep fish out of the cofferdam construction area.

Press reported that the emergency work phase might end in April.

The Unified Command is staff from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Washington Department of Ecology, the Skagit County Department of Emergency Management the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community and bp.

Department of Ecology updates: ecology.wa.gov/OlympicPipelineSpill.