Baltimore County Settles Violations of Underground Storage Tank Regulations

PHILADELPHIA (July 2008) – Baltimore County has settled alleged violations of regulations designed to prevent leaks of fuel and hazardous wastes from underground storage tanks (UST), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today.

The settlement resolves alleged UST violations at 13 county-owned and operated locations. The county will pay a civil penalty of $28,968 and perform a supplemental environmental project that will install a computerized system to monitor USTs at several locations, at a minimum cost of $90,000.

This concludes a 2006 multi-site agreement between the EPA and Baltimore County, which required the county to conduct environmental audits of the underground storage tanks at its 13 locations.

With millions of gallons of gasoline, oil and other petroleum products stored in USTs nationwide, leaking tanks are a major source of soil and groundwater contamination. EPA and state UST regulations are designed to reduce the risk of underground leaks and to promptly detect and properly address leaks which do occur, thus minimizing environmental harm and avoiding the costs of major cleanups. For more information on EPA’s underground storage tank program, visit: www.epa.gov/swerust1/.

The county locations and violations include:

Woodlawn Police Department, 6424 Windsor Mill Rd., Baltimore, Md.
550-gallon tank routinely containing diesel fuel
Failed to demonstrate financial responsibility for corrective action and liability requirements

Woodlawn Fire Deparment, 7223 Windsor Mill Rd., Baltimore, Md.
1,000-gallon tank routinely containing diesel fuel
Lacked overfill protection and failed to demonstrate financial responsibility for corrective action and liability requirements.

Middle River Fire Station, 609 Compass Rd., Baltimore, Md.
1,000-gallon tank routinely containing diesel fuel
Release detection not performed and failed to demonstrate financial responsibility for corrective action and liability requirements.

White Marsh Police Station, 8220 Perry Hall Blvd., White Marsh, Md.
4,000-gallon tank routinely containing gasoline
Release detection not performed, failed to demonstrate financial responsibility for corrective action and liability requirements and failed to provide tank corrosion protection.

Wilkens Police Department, 901 Walker Ave., Catonsville, Md.
4,000-gallon tank routinely containing gasoline
Release detection not performed, and failed to demonstrate financial responsibility for corrective action.

Edgemere Fire Station, 6800 Old North Point Rd., Edgemere, Md.
1,000-gallon tank routinely containing diesel fuel
Release detection not performed, failed to perform tightness testing for suction piping, failed to provide corrosion protection and failed to demonstrate financial responsibility for corrective action.

Inwood Maintenance Shop, 7400 Johnnycake Road, Woodlawn, Md.
10,000-gallon tank routinely containing diesel fuel
Release detection not performed, failed to investigate suspected release, failed to report a suspected release, failed to perform line leak detection, failed to perform annual line tightness test, and failed to provide corrosion protection.

North Point Government Center, 7701 Wise Ave., Dundalk, Md.
4,000-gallon tank routinely containing gasoline
Failed to provide release detection, failed to provide corrosion protection, and failed to demonstrate financial responsibility for corrective action.

Randallstown Fire Station, 3610 Brenbrook Dr., Randallstown, Md.
1,000-gallon tank routinely containing diesel fuel
550-gallon tank routinely containing gasoline
Failed to provide release detection, failed to provide corrosion protection, and failed to demonstrate financial responsibility for corrective action.

Dundalk Fire Station, 2815 Sollers Point Rd., Dundalk, Md.
Two manifolded 1,000-gallon tanks routinely containing diesel fuel
Failed to provide release detection, failed to provide corrosion protection and failed to demonstrate financial responsibility for corrective action.

Essex Fuel Center, 511 Mace Center, Baltimore, Md.
Two 8,000-gallon tanks routinely containing gasoline
Failed to perform line leak detection, failed to perform annual line tightness test, and failed to demonstrate financial responsibility for corrective action.

Towson Fuel Center, 200 Courtland Ave., Towson, Md.
Two 10,000-gallon tanks routinely containing gasoline
6,000-gallon tank routinely containing gasoline
Failure to provide release detection and failed to demonstrate financial responsibility for corrective action.

Wight Avenue Fuel Center, 103 Wight Ave., Cockeysville, Md.
15,000-gallon tank routinely containing diesel fuel
15,000-gallon tank routinely containing gasoline
Failed to provide release detection and failed to demonstrate financial responsibility for corrective action.