Friday July 18 11:32 AM EDT
Company Press Release
Southeast Facilities Targeted in EPA/State National
Enforcement Initiative Pertaining to the Underground
Storage Tank Regulations
ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 18, 1997--The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
announced today that more than 3,000 facilities in the southeast, EPA Region 4, were inspected as
part of an EPA/State national enforcement initiative.
EPA Region 4 includes the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North
Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. John H. Hankinson, Jr., EPA Regional Administrator in
Atlanta, said, ``This initiative reflects EPA's and the States' commitment to ensure compliance with
the Underground Storage Tank regulations. It is another significant accomplishment in the ongoing
efforts to ensure protection of human health and the environment.''
The initiative was aimed at identifying and correcting violations of requirements of EPA and State
regulations requiring the use of leak detection methods in accordance with the Underground Storage
Tank (UST) regulations. During the month of May 1997, more than 10,000 facilities, including
gasoline stations and truck and bus fleet refueling facilities, were inspected across the country by
EPA and the States. Violations were uncovered at 750 facilities in the southeast. These violations
included failure to: (a) comply with release detection requirements; (b) properly close tanks; and (c)
initiate action to clean up a release.
EPA and the States proposed or collected fines ranging from $4,100 to $30,500. In most cases,
the owners were not immediately penalized but are expected to take action to install or perform
release detection and keep records in accordance with federal and state regulations. The largest
fines were assessed where owners had a history of noncompliance or where violations posed
significant threats to health and the environment.
EPA developed the UST regulations to prevent leaks and spills, correct problems caused by them,
and to ensure that owners and operators of USTs pay for correcting any problems created if their
USTs leak. Leaking USTs can create health and environmental hazards such as fires and
explosions, contamination of drinking water, and damage to lakes and streams. Tank owners and
operators must ensure that the USTs are properly installed, conduct tank release detection, handle
necessary repairs, comply with closure requirements and maintain proper records.
Owners and operators of USTs installed before December 1988 are reminded that they have less
than two years remaining in which to comply with requirements for spill, overfill, and corrosion
protection. These requirements will take effect in December 1998, except in states were they are
already in effect. Owners and operators of the older USTs will need to replace or upgrade their
tanks to meet these requirements, or close them properly. |
