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EPA Settles Clean Air Act Cases Against 16 Washington, D.C. Gas Stations - Mandated Emission Controls Help Reduce Toxic Air Pollutants

Release Date: 10/13/2005
Contact Information: Donna Heron, 215-814-5113

Donna Heron, 215-814-5113

PHILADELPHIA – Sixteen gas stations in the District of Columbia have settled alleged violations of Clean Air Act regulations designed to limit toxic air pollutant emissions from gas stations’ tanks and pumps, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced.

Following EPA inspections in October 2004, the stations were cited for violating the Clean Air Act regulations that require gas stations to install and maintain anti-pollution devices, called vapor recovery control systems, for their underground tanks and gasoline dispensing pumps.

These recovery systems are the first line of defense in preventing drivers from breathing in harmful gas emissions while filling up their tanks (Stage II Vapor Recovery Control). They also reduce ozone producing air emissions when fuel trucks refill the stations’ underground storage tanks (Stage I Vapor Recovery Control). Both stages recycle the gas vapors back into the tank, cutting harmful emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), benzene and air toxics.

“These enforcement actions are part of EPA’s ongoing commitment to improving public health and helping the District of Columbia come into attainment with EPA’s new health standards for ground-level ozone as well as reducing toxic air pollutants,” said Donald S. Welsh, regional administrator for EPA’s mid-Atlantic region.

Welsh added that vapor recovery systems are designed to collect 90 percent of gasoline vapors produced during refueling and return them to the underground tank to await pickup by gasoline delivery trucks. Being exposed to gasoline fumes can increase health risks, and the chemicals in gasoline vapor contribute to the formation of ozone air pollution.

“Vapor recovery systems save millions of gallons of gasoline per year from being released into the air,’ Welsh said. “And this, in turn, reduces the release of air toxic emissions such as benzene and reduces public health risks for cancer and respiratory ailments such as asthma.”

Ground-level ozone, a primary ingredient in smog, is formed when VOCs and Nitrogen Oxide react chemically in the presence of sunlight. Ozone pollution is a concern during the summer months when the weather conditions needed to form ground-level ozone B lots of sun and hot temperatures B normally occur. Ozone is unhealthy to breathe, especially for people with respiratory diseases and for children and adults who are active outdoors.

In settlement agreements with EPA, the gas stations have agreed to pay $13,500 in civil penalties, with individual station penalties ranging from $250 to $1,250. They have also agreed to correct the cited violations.

List of facilities:

Benning Road Shell Bladensburg Exxon Parkway Shell
3355b Benning Road, NE 1925 Bladensburg Road, NE 1765 New York Ave., NE
Washington, DC 20019 Washington, DC 20002 Washington, DC 20002

Bladensburg BP #2 Stadium Exxon New York Avenue Exxon
814 Bladensburg Road, NE 2651 Benning Road, NE 2230 New York Ave., NE
Washington, DC 20002 Washington, DC 20002 Washington, DC 20002

Benning Road BP/Amoco East Capitol Exxon Minnesota Avenue Exxon
1950 Benning Road, NE 4501 Benning Road, NE 4100 Hunt Place, NE
Washington, DC 20002 Washington, DC 20019 Washington, DC 20019

Bladensburg BP #1 BP Amoco/Sohone, Inc. Northeast Amoco/BP
1201 Bladensburg Road, NE 1231 New York Ave., NE 2210 Bladensburg Road, NE
Washington, DC 20002 Washington, DC 20002 Washington, DC 20018

Minnesota Avenue Shell Lowest Price Station Minnesota Avenue Citgo
3830 Minnesota Ave., NE 4519 Benning Road, NE 3820 Minnesota Ave., NE
Washington, DC 20019 Washington, DC 20019 Washington, DC 20019

ME Sunoco
101 New York Avenue, NE
Washington, DC 20002