The Water Information Program

The U.S. EPA's Environmental Appeals Board has ordered a company that owns gas stations in the mid-Atlantic states to pay a $3.16 million penalty for violations involving 72 underground fuel storage tanks at 23 gas stations. In a ruling announced today, the board upheld the agency's enforcement action against the owner of Lowest Price gas stations in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. In cooperation with state and DC officials, the EPA filed a complaint in September 2002 against gas station owner Euclid of Virginia, Inc. for violating regulations designed to detect and prevent fuel leaks from underground storage tanks. n a March 11, 2007 decision, the board ruled against every issue raised in an appeal filed by Euclid of Virginia, Inc. The company had appealed an administrative law judge's November 2006 assessment of a $3.08 million penalty for these violations - the largest penalty ever assessed by an EPA administrative law judge for violations of any federal environmental law. Instead, the board ruled in favor of EPA's cross-appeal against Euclid, increasing this precedent-setting penalty to $3,164,555. "With millions of gallons of gasoline, oil, and other petroleum products stored in underground tanks, leaving them unchecked can cause major soil and groundwater contamination," said Donald Welsh, regional administrator of EPA's mid-Atlantic region.

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