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EPA Awards $1.5 Million in Recovery Act Funds to Clean Up Underground Petroleum Leaks in New Mexico

Release Date: 07/09/2009
Contact Information: Dave Bary or Anthony Suttice at 214-665-2200 or [email protected]

EPA: Funds help create jobs and protect New Mexico land and water.

(Dallas, Texas – July 9, 2009) In an effort to protect people where they live, work, and play, EPA announced the distribution of $1.59 million to New Mexico under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to assess and clean up underground storage tank petroleum leaks. The greatest potential hazard from a leaking underground storage tank is that the petroleum or other hazardous substances seep into the soil and contaminate groundwater, the source of drinking water for nearly one-third of all Americans.

“We’re providing immediate growth opportunities for communities across the nation, as well as long-term protection from dangerous pollution in the land and water,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “EPA is putting people to work by serving our core mission of protecting human health and the environment.”

“EPA works closely with states and tribes to clean up leaks from underground storage tanks,” said EPA Acting Regional Administrator Lawrence E. Starfield. “Putting these Recovery Act dollars to work in New Mexico will help us assess and clean up more sites, create jobs, and help the economy.”

This money is part of $197 million appropriated under the Recovery Act to address shovel-ready sites nationwide contaminated by petroleum from leaking underground storage tanks. The funds will be used for overseeing assessment and cleanup of leaks from underground storage tanks or directly paying for assessment and cleanup of leaks from federally regulated tanks where the responsible party is unknown, unwilling or unable to finance or the cleanup is an emergency response.

EPA regional underground storage tank programs will enter into cooperative agreements with the New Mexico Environment Department in summer 2009. These cooperative agreements will include more detailed descriptions of state spending plans.

President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 on February 17, 2009, and has directed that the Recovery Act be implemented with unprecedented transparency and accountability. To that end, the American people can visit Recovery.gov to see how every dollar is being invested.

Learn more about EPA's implementation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009: https://www.epa.gov/recovery/ and for information on the implementation in New Mexico https://www.epa.gov/region6/