A mechanical failure caused a leak that led to 5,000 gallons of diesel fuel spilling from a data center into a Meadowlands creek last week.
Equinix, the company that has operated the data center in Secaucus since 2001, said its investigation determined there was a failure of two valves that are used as part of the filtration process for the fuel, which was stored in a tank outside the data center. The company said in a statement it regrets that the spill occurred and the concern it has caused, and added that a report on the incident is still being finalized.
The spill occurred on Friday evening, sending the diesel into Anderson Creek, a small tributary of the Hackensack River. Equinix and its contractor Clean Harbors responded to contain the spill and clean it up. Equinix said it is working to ensure a thorough remediation.
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has said the spill did not spread to the Hackensack River, and that cleanup work is expected to be ongoing this week.
The spill sparked concerns from local environmentalists who worried the fuel would taint the Hackensack and the greater ecosystem. Hackensack Riverkeeper Bill Sheehan and Secaucus Mayor Michael Gonnelli have said they want state authorities to pursue a natural resource damages claim against Equinix. The DEP has not yet announced any fines or enforcement action.
Swirling debate over data center development in New Jersey and around the nation has put a spotlight on the spill. Opponents of new data centers have said the incident is an example of why New Jersey needs a statewide moratorium on the facilities.
