| DEP ISSUES
PENALTIES FOR UNDERGROUND STORAGE
TANK VIOLATIONS IN NEWARK AND LIVINGSTON
TRENTON (05/80) -- Commissioner Bradley M. Campbell
today announced that the Department of Environmental Protection
(DEP) fined five facilities in Essex County for violating state
hazardous materials storage laws. The Livingston and Newark facilities,
which include commercial gas retailers and suppliers and a sanitation
company, failed to comply with regulations pertaining to underground
storage tanks.
"Leaking underground storage tanks are the leading source
of contaminated ground water in New Jersey," said Commissioner
Campbell. "DEP's inspection program protects water quality
and public health, which is why we will continue to vigilantly
enforce hazardous materials storage laws."
The Essex County enforcement actions are part of a statewide
compliance inspection program to prevent pollution by reducing
the number of leaking underground storage tanks. DEP established
a group of 18 state and county inspectors to conduct compliance
inspections every three years at each of the 8,000 facilities
statewide that contain regulated underground storage tanks.
- Blue Seven Service Station of Newark was fined $71,000 for
failing to properly insure and register its underground storage
tanks, failing to maintain and test its leak detection systems
and failing to maintain and operate its corrosion control system.
- East Coast Sanitation of Livingston was fined $37,750 for
violations including failing to properly insure and register
its underground storage tank system and failing to maintain
and test its leak detection systems.
- Inlander Services of Livingston was fined $16,750 for failing
to properly register its underground storage tanks and failing
to provide corrosion control for some of its underground storage
tank product piping.
- Pure Fuel Company of Newark was fined $15,000 for introducing
fuel into underground storage tanks that were not properly registered.
Failure to register tanks inhibits DEP's ability to regulate
underground storage, prevent pollution and reduce leaks and contamination.
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.
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