All News Releases By Date

U.S. EPA CITES GUAM PUBLIC WORKS FOR TANK VIOLATIONS

Release Date: 8/30/1999
Contact Information: Dave Schmidt, U.S. EPA, 415-744-1578, Grace O. Garces, Guam EPA, 671-475-1623

     SAN FRANCISCO--The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency cited the Guam Department of Public Works Transportation Maintenance Division in Tamuning for major violations of federal underground storage tank regulations.  

      The citation resulted from an underground storage tank inspection conducted by an EPA inspector with assistance from the Guam Environmental Protection Agency (Guam EPA) on July 7, 1999. The Guam Department of Public Works failed to meet an August 9, 1999 deadline to correct the violations.  

     The $1,500 citation was issued for operating a tank that failed to have adequate leak detection on the tanks and piping, and for operating substandard tanks that failed to meet the federal December 1998 upgrade requirements for spill, overfill, and corrosion protection.

     Leak prevention is critical for underground fuel storage tanks because unseen leaks caused by corrosion, overfills or spills can pollute underground water supplies. A hole the size of a pin can release 400 gallons of fuel in a year's time, enough to foul millions of gallons of fresh water. Given the reliance on groundwater resources on Guam, the protection of underground water sources is vital. To prevent releases, all regulated underground storage tanks were  required by law to have spill and overfill equipment, corrosion protection, and release detection methods in place by December 1998. The December 1998 deadline has been in place since 1988.   EPA and Guam EPA have been educating the public about the tank requirements for the past year.

     Owners and operators of substandard tanks face penalties of up to $11,000 a day per violation in addition to cleanup costs for leaking tanks.  In the future, the EPA and Guam EPA plan to conduct unannounced inspections.

     More information on the EPA's underground storage tank program can be obtained at: www.epa.gov/OUST/ or by calling Norwood Scott at 415-744-2081 or Ramon Mendoza at 415-744-1591.