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U.S. EPA CITES THREE FACILITIES ON OAHU FOR TANK VIOLATIONS

Release Date: 5/7/1996
Contact Information: Lois Grunwald, U.S. EPA, (415) 744-1588

 (San Francisco)--  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) today announced that it has cited three facilities on Oahu for major violations of federal underground fuel storage tank regulations. In all, 12 facilities were inspected, and five others were cited for only minor violations.

     This series of inspections indicates that undergound storage tank facilities in Hawaii are improving their compliance with the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, which governs the management of underground storage tanks and hazardous waste. During the last three years, U.S. EPA cited a significantly higher number of facilities for major violations. Major violations occur when facilities do not conduct leak detection adequately to detect a release.  

     "Compliance with underground storage tank regulations is crucial to preventing groundwater and soil contamination from leaking underground tanks," said Laura Yoshii, deputy director for U.S. EPA's Office of Waste Programs. "Also, fuel leaks can lead to fire and explosion hazards in utility trenches. Fuel tank owners and operators who violate these regulations put our water supplies at risk and may create costly cleanup problems to deal with in the future."

     The three facilities with major violations are: the U.S. Coast Guard, Sand Island Base; Hawaii State Department of Agriculture; and City and County of Honolulu's Pearl City Corporation Yard.

     Violations at the three facilities included failing to properly conduct tank leak detection, failure to have required automatic line leak detectors on piping, failure to conduct leak detection on piping, and failure to have required spill containment and overflow prevention equipment.

     The facilities cited for minor violations were: Alii Petroleum, a gas station; Handi Pantry #11; Schuman Carriage Co., a car dealership; City and County of Honolulu, Civic Center parking structure; and, Fast Stop, Aloha Petroleum.

     The citations were issued immediately after inspections by U.S. EPA. The U.S. EPA's underground storage tank (UST) field citation program is designed to quickly bring owners and operators of underground fuel tanks into compliance with federal UST regulations. U.S. EPA inspects UST systems operated by government, private and commercial facilities that sell or supply petroleum-based fuel to ensure that facilities meet design and operating standards.

     Facilities that receive a citation are required to comply with the regulations and pay any penalty within 30 days.  If they do not, they will be subject to a more formal enforcement action, which carries much stiffer penalties.  The citations impose penalties which generally range from $50 to $300 per violation.  



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