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U.S. EPA to Excavate Four Underground Tanks, Up to 5,000 Gallons Each, at Former Gas Station in Fresno

Release Date: 08/26/2014
Contact Information: Nahal Mogharabi, [email protected], 213-514-4361

LOS ANGELES – On Wednesday, U.S. EPA will remove three 4,000-5,000 gallon underground tanks which held gasoline or diesel fuel and one 280 gallon waste-oil underground tank from a former gas station in Fresno, Calif. EPA contractors will also take water and soil samples to evaluate whether the storage tanks have leaked. If the tanks leaked, EPA and the state and regional water boards will assess the level of environmental cleanup required to make the site available for reuse. Once completed, the site will be ready for redevelopment and could be used as the location for a quick-service restaurant.

This is part of a statewide initiative focused on cleaning up underground storage tank sites, including 38 sites in Fresno County. The site, currently home to American & Foreign, an auto repair shop, was occupied by a service station from 1937-1982. The underground storage tanks used by the service station ceased operating but remained in place.

Wednesday’s excavation, site evaluation and assessment is estimated to cost up to $138,000 and is being funded by the EPA’s Targeted Brownfields Assessment Program. Since November 2012 the U.S. EPA and the California State Water Resources control Board have been working with local regulatory agencies to identify and assess tank sites that have been unaddressed in Fresno and throughout the state.

Due to the high clean-up costs, these sites have remained vacant for decades. Addressing these sites can cost anywhere from approximately $10,000 to $1.5 Million depending on contamination at the site. The U.S. EPA and the state will work together with property owners to assess and cleanup these sites, making them available for resale and reuse, bringing businesses and jobs back into the area. To date, more than 339 abandoned sites have been identified and more than 84 underground storage tanks removed, paving the way for redevelopment. EPA’s Brownfields Program has invested more than $600,000 towards community and housing investigation and cleanup in Fresno neighborhoods.

Who: U.S. EPA
Officials from City, State, County, and Local governments

What: Underground Gasoline Tank Removal, Site Assessment and Field Work
Informal Media Availability and Visual Event

Where: 603 Broadway Street, Fresno CA 93721

When: Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Media is asked to arrive by 10:15 a.m. to check. Event will start at 10:30 a.m.

Parking: Parking is limited. Please park in the residential area on Broadway Street

*This is a live construction site, as such members of the news media wishing to attend must wear closed and/or steel toe boots. Please RSVP ASAP via email to Nahal Mogharabi at [email protected] to receive additional necessary information. Please be sure to include your name, contact information and media affiliation.

For a map of the location as well as additional information about the event and photos, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/region9/mediacenter/fresno-ust/

For more information on Targeted Brownfields Assessment, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/region09/brownfields/grants.html

For more information on Underground Storage Tanks, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/region9/waste/ust/lustcleanup.html