DEP ISSUES PENALTIES FOR UNDERGROUND STORAGE
TANK VIOLATIONS IN MIDDLETOWN
(04/103) TRENTON -- The Department of
Environmental Protection (DEP) today announced that Woroco
Management, located in Perth Amboy, and the Mogas Service
Station in Middletown Township were fined for violating
state hazardous materials storage law.
"Protecting our water from storage tank leaks is critical
to water quality and public health," said DEP Commissioner
Bradley M. Campbell. "A single gallon of gasoline can
render undrinkable one million gallons of drinking water
in our aquifers. This enforcement action holds accountable
those who disregard laws that safeguard our natural resources."
Mogas Service Station, a gasoline and diesel retail facility,
failed to register four regulated underground storage tanks,
provide evidence of insurance for the tanks, and equip the
tank systems with a means to detect releases and leaks.
Failure to register tanks inhibits DEP's ability to regulate
underground storage, prevent pollution and reduce leaks
and contamination. DEP banned the delivery of fuel to the
site and issued a $56,000 penalty to the owner of Mogas
Service Station after he refused to comply with the delivery
ban and other corrective provisions.
Woroco Management, a motor fuel wholesale and delivery
business, was fined $15,000 for delivering motor fuel to
Mogas Service Station. State law prohibits the filling of
unregistered, regulated underground storage tanks with motor
fuel.
The Middletown enforcement action is part of a statewide
underground storage tank compliance inspection program to
prevent pollution by reducing the number of leaking tanks.
DEP is establishing a group of 18 state and county inspectors
to conduct compliance inspections every three years at each
of the state's 8,000 facilities that contain regulated underground
storage tanks.
"DEP's new comprehensive inspection program will help
crack down on violations of underground storage laws such
as those found at Middletown's Mogas Service Station,"
said Commissioner Campbell. "I commend New Jersey voters
for supporting Governor McGreevey's 2003 referendum, which
funded the underground storage tank inspection program."
Owners and operators of underground storage tanks also
must register their tank systems with DEP on a three-year
cycle. Testing and cleanup work is underway by responsible
parties at more than 4,000 sites statewide where underground
storage tanks have leaked resulting in soil or ground water
contamination.
DEP provides compliance assistance to owners and operators
of facilities with underground storage tank systems. State
and federal laws require all owners and operators to maintain
leak detection, corrosion and overfill prevention and other
measures to prevent tank leaks. DEP also will track all
inspections and enforcement actions taken when responsible
parties fail to comply with relevant laws.
NOTE: Copies of the DEP Administrative Order and Notice
of Civil Administrative Penalty Assessments issued to Woroco
Management and the Mogas Service Station are available upon
request.
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