Broken valves caused a data center to spill 5K gallons of diesel in NJ's Meadowlands
A mechanical failure at an Equinix data center in Secaucus, NJ, caused a 5,000-gallon diesel fuel spill into a Meadowlands creek. Equinix and its contractor, Clean Harbors, are managing the cleanup, with ongoing work expected from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. The incident has prompted environmental concerns, calls for a natural resource damages claim against Equinix, and renewed calls for a statewide moratorium on data center development in New Jersey.
An Equinix data center in Secaucus, New Jersey, experienced a mechanical failure last week, resulting in a 5,000-gallon diesel fuel spill into a Meadowlands creek. The company, which has operated the data center since 2001, attributed the incident to a failure of two valves within the fuel filtration system. Equinix expressed regret over the spill and confirmed that a report on the incident is being finalized.
Following the spill, Hackensack Riverkeeper Bill Sheehan observed containment booms being deployed on Anderson Creek. Although a Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) spokesperson, Larry Hajna, stated the spill affected an unnamed tributary near Anderson Creek and had not impacted the Hackensack River or its wetlands, local environmentalists voiced concerns about potential contamination. Equinix, in conjunction with its contractor Clean Harbors, is actively engaged in the cleanup and remediation efforts, with the DEP overseeing the ongoing work.
The incident has intensified an existing debate over data center development in New Jersey. Hackensack Riverkeeper Bill Sheehan and Secaucus Mayor Michael Gonnelli have advocated for state authorities to pursue a natural resource damages claim against Equinix, though the DEP has not yet announced any fines or enforcement actions. Opponents of new data centers are leveraging the spill as an example to argue for a statewide moratorium on such facilities.