NOTE: The Office of the U.S. Senator For Maryland Chris Van Hollen shared the following press release:
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks and U.S. Representatives Glenn Ivey, Steny Hoyer, Kweisi Mfume, Jamie Raskin, Sarah Elfreth, April McClain Delaney, and Johnny Olszewski (all D-Md.) wrote to Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink, pressing him on the lack of transparency around a leak of over 30,000 gallons of jet fuel at Joint Base Andrews in Prince George’s County earlier this year – which resulted in over 20,000 gallons of fuel released into the environment, contaminating soil outside the base and the nearby Piscataway Creek.
In the letter, the lawmakers expressed concerns over the Air Force’s critical delay in providing full information regarding the leak to the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) – the state entity charged with responding to environmental pollution incidents – stressing that their failure to promptly notify for many weeks prevented MDE from implementing measures to minimize the spread of the contamination.
They asked for answers to a series of questions regarding the status of the fuel leak’s spread and containment efforts; current systems in place to detect such incidents and whether the Air Force has plans to improve them; and planned measures to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future, among others.
“We write regarding the recent fuel spill incident reported at Joint Base Andrews and to request additional information regarding both the discharge and the response actions taken,” the lawmakers began. “Joint Base Andrews notified the State of Maryland of a jet fuel leak after fuel odors and a visible fuel sheen were observed in Piscataway Creek on March 23, 2026. Subsequent correspondence confirmed that approximately 32,000 gallons of jet fuel had leaked across multiple dates and locations. Of this amount, 10,000 gallons from January and February incidents were reportedly contained within the system, while approximately 22,000 gallons of fuel were discharged into the environment, contaminating soils and nearby Piscataway Creek.”
Underscoring the harmful consequences of the Air Force’s delay in notifying MDE, they wrote, “While containment efforts were significantly improved around April 15-16 following site visits and feedback from officials, earlier implementation of more effective measures could have reduced the extent of contamination reaching the creek.”
“Legacy pollution from Joint Base Andrews has already resulted in PFAS contamination in Piscataway Creek and the surrounding area, and this fuel spill adds to existing environmental stressors affecting the watershed. The release has the potential to cause further ecological harm to the Piscataway Creek, which flows into the Potomac River, a key Chesapeake Bay tributary. It is of the utmost importance that Joint Base Andrews fully assess and remediate any damage caused by this leak and take protective measures to prevent an incident like this from happening again in the future,” the lawmakers stressed, going on to list a series of questions for the Air Force Secretary’s response.
“We appreciate your prompt attention to these questions and request a briefing for our offices and your detailed written response. Given the scale of the discharge and the potential environmental impacts, timely and transparent communication will be critical,” they concluded.
Text of the letter, including the questions posed to Secretary Meink, can be viewed here and below.
Dear Secretary Meink,
We write regarding the recent fuel spill incident reported at Joint Base Andrews and to request additional information regarding both the discharge and the response actions taken.
Joint Base Andrews notified the State of Maryland of a jet fuel leak after fuel odors and a visible fuel sheen were observed in Piscataway Creek on March 23, 2026. Subsequent correspondence confirmed that approximately 32,000 gallons of jet fuel had leaked across multiple dates and locations. Of this amount, 10,000 gallons from January and February incidents were reportedly contained within the system, while approximately 22,000 gallons of fuel were discharged into the environment, contaminating soils and nearby Piscataway Creek.
We also understand that containment berms were installed on March 24 and 25; however, initial containment measures were insufficient to prevent the spread of contamination to Piscataway Creek, particularly during moderate rainfall events. While containment efforts were significantly improved around April 15-16 following site visits and feedback from officials, earlier implementation of more effective measures could have reduced the extent of contamination reaching the creek. We also understand that there was a notable delay between when Joint Base Andrews discovered the fuel leak and when the State of Maryland received full information about the complete spill volume, with Joint Base Andrews failing to provide final figures until April 8.
Legacy pollution from Joint Base Andrews has already resulted in PFAS contamination in Piscataway Creek and the surrounding area, and this fuel spill adds to existing environmental stressors affecting the watershed. The release has the potential to cause further ecological harm to the Piscataway Creek, which flows into the Potomac River, a key Chesapeake Bay tributary. It is of the utmost importance that Joint Base Andrews fully assess and remediate any damage caused by this leak and take protective measures to prevent an incident like this from happening again in the future.
Given the seriousness of this incident, we request clarification on the following:
- Please provide a detailed timeline of when each leak was first detected, internally reported, and externally communicated. What factors contributed to the delay in reporting the full spill volume, and what role did coordination with the Defense Logistics Agency play in this process?
- What is the current estimate of fuel that has migrated into Piscataway Creek versus what remains in the ground?
- What means and methodology is Joint Base Andrews using to measure the fuel loss that provides the basis for this estimate?
- What immediate and long-term remediation strategies are being implemented to address contamination in both soil and water?
- What measures will be taken to ensure effective containment of the contaminated area during rainfall or other adverse conditions?
- What monitoring systems are currently in place to detect future leaks, and are there plans to upgrade or enhance these systems?
- What steps are being taken to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future, including any plans to inspect this and other underground fuel storage and transportation infrastructure for both internal and external corrosion following this release?
- How will ongoing updates be communicated to regulatory agencies and the public moving forward?
- Lastly, what impacts has the leak had on base operations, if any?
We appreciate your prompt attention to these questions and request a briefing for our offices and your detailed written response. Given the scale of the discharge and the potential environmental impacts, timely and transparent communication will be critical.