Other Environmental News

DEC Cleaning Up Gasoline Facilities Downstate

From the NYSDEC November 2008 issue

Motiva Enterprises LLC, a joint venture of Shell Oil Company and Saudi Refining Inc., will address petroleum storage violations at various Shell-branded gas stations and service centers in New York City, Long Island and the lower Hudson Valley, under a comprehensive enforcement agreement announced by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).

Fiberglass underground storage tanks

Motiva Enterprises will be required to hire a consultant to inspect the 88 cited facilities and address any issues identified.

The agreement with Motiva stemmed from inspections conducted by DEC at numerous facilities in the downstate area. It also follows up on Motiva’s previous agreement to remove and, in some cases, replace old, single-walled tank systems with new state-of-the-art, double-walled tanks at two dozen sites. Motiva currently is in the process of completing that work.

DEC will receive $281,000, with the remaining $69,000 in penalties divided between Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester and Rockland counties to assist in the ongoing petroleum-storage compliance reviews. An environmental benefit project also has been required. During the next six months, DEC and Motiva will develop a plan for the $200,000 included for the project that will have a positive environmental effect on communities with non-compliant facilities. This may include additional education on petroleum storage practices to help prevent further spills or other violations that could damage natural resources and affect public health.

The agreement also requires Motiva to hire an independent consultant to inspect the 88 facilities cited and to fully address any issues identified by the auditor. Under DEC oversight, each audit will be reviewed and every facility will be brought into compliance with state and federal environmental laws and regulations. In addition to regulatory requirements, if any new spills are discovered, Motiva will be required to perform a cleanup