All News Releases By Date

HEATING OIL PARTNERS TO PAY $117K FOR BEING UNPREPARED FOR SPILLS

Release Date: 2/19/1999
Contact Information: Ruth Podems (215) 814-5540

PHILADELPHIA - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced that Heating Oil Partners L.P. of  Darien, Ct., has agreed to pay a total penalty of $117,000 for alleged violations of oil spill prevention rules at two oil terminals in Churchville, Pa. and Philadelphia.

In separate settlements, Heating Oil Partners agreed to pay $72,000 to resolve EPA’s complaint alleging violations at the company’s oil terminal at 141 Bustleton Pike, Churchville, Pa., and $45,000 for another complaint involving the G Street terminal in Philadelphia.

EPA cited the company for violating Clean Water Act regulations designed to prevent and control oil spills. In the Philadelphia case, EPA alleged that the company failed to prepare an adequate plan to respond to oil spills, and failed to develop or implement an oil spill response drill.  The facility has above ground storage capacity of 2.9 million gallons, including one 2.6 million gallon tank.  Heating Oil Partners purchased this terminal from Major Oil Co. in 1996.

In the Churchville case, EPA alleged that the terminal did not have adequate  engineering safeguards and "secondary containment" to prevent or capture spills from a 2.6 million gallon oil tank.  EPA also alleged that the company failed to maintain required security measures such as adequate fencing and lighting, or to prepare an adequate "spill prevention, control and countermeasure (SPCC)" plan for the terminal.  Heating Oil Partners purchased the this terminal from Major Oil Co. in December 1996.

With billions of gallons of oil in storage throughout the U.S. at any time, oil spills pose a constant threat to land and water resources.  EPA’s spill prevention regulations are designed to reduce the serious health and environmental risks of oil and petroleum product leaks.
 
#

99-128