EASTON, MD, February 16, 2026 – Easton Utilities provided a detailed update to the Easton Town Council regarding a diesel fuel spill that migrated to the Bay Street ponds last week, impacting the environment and local wildlife. The company acknowledged they did not follow their typical reporting procedures and experienced a breakdown in communication, both internally and externally, from the onset of the incident.
In a statement provided by the President and CEO John Horner, he shared, “What occurred during this incident is far below our standards and high expectations for environmental stewardship. Please accept my professional and personal apology for this incident. Accountability starts with me, and I take full responsibility.”
In the spirit of transparency, Horner shared the timeline and sequence of events. Early Sunday, February 8, a control room operator observed the fuel spill attributed to a valve malfunction on one of the fuel tanks inside the power plant that supplies a generator. This resulted in approximately 10-15 gallons of diesel fuel briefly venting onto the ground. This area is adjacent to the North Fork of the Tanyard Branch, the stream that runs underneath the power plant on Washington Street. An estimated 5-10 gallons of diesel fuel entered the stream.
Although initial containment measures were deployed on-site, required notifications to the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) and senior leadership did not occur. Additionally, inspections of other potentially affected areas were not performed at that time.
It was not until Tuesday, February 10 that the senior leadership team learned of the incident following activity on social media. Immediately upon realizing the magnitude of the situation, Easton Utilities activated their emergency response plan and focused on the clean-up
and remediation of the Bay Street ponds with local emergency responders, and environmental and wildlife protection agencies.
“We are grateful to our community partners including Talbot Department of Emergency Services, Easton Police Department, Easton Volunteer Fire Department, MDE, Maryland DNR, Waterfowl Festival, Phillips Wharf Environmental, Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research, and BP Environmental. I must take a moment to recognize these agencies and thank them,” added Horner.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources initially recovered seven live waterfowl (five geese and two mallards), and those birds were transported to Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research for treatment and rehabilitation. Since then, several other possibly affected birds have been seen, and those that were successfully recovered have been transported to Tri-State. Easton Utilities also shared Tri-State’s hotline in case anyone sees other troubled birds.
Horner went on to address inconsistencies with the information that was initially shared on social media and steps the company plans to follow to ensure this type of incident does not happen again. He committed to implementing immediate and long-term corrective measures focused on infrastructure improvements, strengthening communication protocols, and expanding their collaboration with the Waterfowl Festival to support their mission.
In closing, Horner stressed the importance of transparency. “We take great pride in being an excellent community partner and our initial response to this incident failed to meet our high standards. Accountability starts with me. I want to reiterate my full and unreserved apology for this incident and the impact it has had on our environment, the waterfowl, and our community,” Horner concluded.