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Wheeling Settles EPA Complaint for Alleged Underground Storage Tank Violations

Release Date: 12/4/2001
Contact Information: Bonnie Smith, 215-814-5543

Bonnie Smith, 215-814-5543

PHILADELPHIA – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has settled its complaint against the City of Wheeling, W.Va. for alleged violations of federal regulations designed to prevent fuel leaks from underground storage tanks.

The settlement resolves a June 28, 2001 complaint, EPA had cited the city for underground storage tank (UST) violations at the Wheeling municipal garage at 12 Hunter Ave. The garage has two 10,000-gallon underground gasoline tanks, two 8,000-gallon and one 2,000-gallon diesel fuel USTs, and above-ground storage containers capable of holding at least 7,500 gallons of used oil.

A December 2000 inspection revealed that garage officials failed to conduct proper leak detection for the underground tanks, failed to conduct bimonthly tests of the tanks’ corrosion protection systems, and failed to clearly mark or label used oil containers at the facility.

EPA waived a proposed $12,373 penalty because the city will spend $16,740 to remove and close all underground storage tanks at the garage.

With millions of gallons of gasoline, oil, and other petroleum products stored in USTs throughout the U.S., leaking tanks are a major source of soil and groundwater contamination. EPA and state UST regulations are designed to reduce the risk of underground leaks, and thus avoid the costs of major cleanups.

Wheeling neither admitted nor denied liability for the alleged violations in the settlement.