The incident, he said, was “far below our standards,” and accountability “starts with me.”
The spill occurred during a cold-weather power generation run in early February. A faulty valve on a generator fuel tank allowed an estimated 10 to 15 gallons of diesel to vent onto the ground. Easton Utilities believes that 5 to 10 gallons entered the stream feeding the ponds.
The volume was modest. The failure in communication was not.
Under the utility’s own Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures plan, the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) was to be notified within two hours. That did not happen. Senior leadership, including Horner, only became aware of the situation after social media posts began circulating.
“This is not acceptable in any way, shape, or form,” Horner told the council.
An operator discovered the spill early Sunday morning during a routine check. Supervisors attempted to manage it internally, but MDE was not contacted. By Monday evening, residents were reporting a strong diesel odor around the ponds. On Tuesday morning, MDE contacted the utility.
Once leadership was fully engaged, remediation began. Oil-absorbent booms were placed in the stream and ponds. Contaminated soil was removed. BP Environmental was hired to manage the cleanup. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources recovered affected birds for rehabilitation; seven did not survive.
Assistant Fire Chief Darrell Colwell confirmed that diesel floats can appear more widespread than they are. He also stated the spill did not reach the Tred Avon River.
Cleanup continues under MDE oversight and will remain in place until the state provides written clearance.
Horner pledged upgrades to containment systems and internal reporting procedures, along with additional staff training. Council members expressed disappointment but largely supported Horner’s decision to address the matter directly.
“Transparency matters. Accuracy matters. Trust matters,” Horner said.
Our video highlight of 15 minutes is the full clip of Mr. Horner’s remarks.




Lance Simon says
I already had great respect for John Horner before this event. But now I see what a rare and extraordinary leader John is.
Accidents happen, equipment is not perfect, and in the end what matters most are the people who respond and how they respond.
As an Eastern Utilities client I am very pleased to see how John and his team are handling this very unfortunate event.