Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Gold/Mining/Energy : Big Dog's Boom Boom Room -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: ChanceIs who wrote (107023)	8/13/2008 9:45:05 AM
From: Snowshoe	Respond to of 206202

I dug out my abandoned heating oil tank by hand 20 years ago. It still held about 30 gallons of fuel, so I had that pumped out first. Then dug out the tank and hoisted it with a "come along" attached to a strong latter propped against the house. Paid a consulting company $600 to verify there was no serious pollution. To dispose of the tank, I first punched a small hole in the bottom and let the residual oil drain for a few days while tank sat in the hot sun. Then dumped in some dry ice and let it evaporate to prevent risk of explosion while cutting tank. Sawed tank in half with chop saw. Washed inside with hot water and detergent. Finally took tank to metal recycling company. Helped my elderly neighbors with the same process a few years later, except they skipped the environmental test.

To: ChanceIs who wrote (107023)	8/13/2008 10:02:46 AM
From: tom pope	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 206202

I had an underground storage tank in Bodega Bay CA that had not been used since the late 30's. It took 2 years of non-detects before the site was declared closed, at huge cost to the state and to me. I used to spill more gas into the harbor filling my boat every week than that thing ever leaked. The Sierra Club thought the underground tank removal program was a great success. I quit the Sierra Club after that experience.

To: ChanceIs who wrote (107023)	8/13/2008 10:03:13 AM
From: Paul Kern	Respond to of 206202

Tank removal and environmental remediation cost us a bit more than 12K. It was a condition of sale on a property we sold in 2005.

To: ChanceIs who wrote (107023)	8/13/2008 11:21:11 AM
From: skinowski	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 206202

I bought that property in the early 1980's and sold 2 years ago. At the time of conversion they emptied out the underground tank and filled it with - I think - sand. I was told that it was all done according to EPA rules. I accepted what they told me and... didn't dig any deeper... :)

To: ChanceIs who wrote (107023)	8/13/2008 4:15:43 PM
From: Fastball	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 206202

That's Really intelligent advice! I hope most on this board are smart enough to ignore it. "So I have some rather obvious advice. Don't even check your local ordinance for environmental nonsense. Go out there tomorrow with a hack saw, and cut off the fill pipe about a foot below grade. Find the feed lines into the house and cut them off about a foot from the house wall. Remove every vestige of there ever having been an oil heat system. You no doubt have some oil stains on your basement floor. Go paint over them. Create 20 year-old, false invoices from a fictitious contractor who you paid to remove the tank that never existed. Just in case." CREATE 20 YEAR-OLD FALSE INVOICES? I hope you're kidding. Having recently retired from 31 years of practicing environmental law, I can tell you the potential liability from your suggested approach is FAR greater than just spending the $500 to get a survey done. There may be serious doubts about the effectiveness of the Leaking Underground Storage Tank program (one of my favorite govt acronyms), but don't make your situation worse by doing something really stupid. At least don't advise other people to do so.