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U.S. EPA REACHES SETTLEMENT WITH OIL FACILITIES ON NAVAJO LANDS

Release Date: 8/4/1999
Contact Information: Lois Grunwald, U.S. EPA, 415/744-1588

     Two companies fined for violations

      SAN FRANCISCO -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency fined Speedy's Convenience Inc. and Giant Industries Arizona Inc. $68,600 and $13,000, respectively, for failure to prepare and implement oil spill prevention plans for their for their facilities on the Navajo Nation.

     "Serious environmental damage can result from oil spills," said Michael Feeley, U.S. EPA's deputy director for the Superfund Division. "Wildlife can be harmed and waters polluted. We want to work with oil facilities to help them prevent a potentially disastrous spill."

     The EPA filed administrative complaints against the facilities in September. The EPA inspected 19 facilities in June 1997 at the request of the Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency to assess whether they were complying with the Clean Water Act's oil spill prevention regulations. During the inspections, EPA officials walked through the facilities and gave information -- including sample Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure Plans on how to comply with oil spill prevention guidelines.

     Both facilities had failed to prepare and implement Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure Plan. Oil spills from Speedy's 720,000 gallon oil storage facility near Lupton, Ariz. could impact the Puerco River.  Giant's 195,000 gallon above-ground crude storage facility and tanker transfer facility in Montezuma Creek, Utah has the potential to impact Montezuma Creek and the San Juan River.  

     More information on the EPA Oil Program may be obtained at: www.epa.gov/oilspill or by calling the EPA's toll-free hotline at (800) 424-8802.