Freedom 250 Spill Sends 30 Gallons of Fuel Into National Mall Cisterns After Vandalism
Updated
Updated · NBC News · Jun 1
Freedom 250 Spill Sends 30 Gallons of Fuel Into National Mall Cisterns After Vandalism
3 articles · Updated · NBC News · Jun 1
More than 30 gallons of fuel from generators used at Freedom 250’s May 17 event seeped into underground National Mall cisterns that collect rainwater for irrigation, according to people familiar with the matter.
Freedom 250 said vandals repeatedly targeted its temporary lighting equipment and damaged a generator fuel line, triggering the leak; the group said it mobilized within minutes and fully remediated the site with the National Park Service.
NBC News saw a Lewis Environmental mobile command center and more than a dozen Rain for Rent trailers at the site Monday, indicating cleanup was still underway.
Four cisterns under the Mall can hold up to 250,000 gallons, and one person familiar with the matter said the Park Service would typically hold the permit holder liable for mitigation, though responsibility remains unclear.
The spill adds to concerns about the Mall’s grass and infrastructure as more high-traffic events loom, including 250th-anniversary celebrations, a July 4 salute and an IndyCar race in August.