EPA fines Guam for tank violations

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has fined the Guam Office of Civil Defense $5,000 for alleged federal underground storage tank violations at its facility in Agana Heights.

EPA press officer Dean Higuchi said the sanction is the first significant underground storage tank action pursued on Guam. EPA Pacific Southwest Region Waste Division director Jeff Scott said the federal rules are very clear about what an owner-operator needs to do to properly maintain an underground storage tank.

“Leak prevention and detection is critical to prevent tanks from contaminating the precious underground fresh water sources in Guam,” said Scott. He said they expect the government of Guam would take the necessary actions to ensure all of its underground tanks meet federal rules.

EPA alleges that the Civil Defense Office’s 4,000-gallon diesel underground storage tank was not upgraded to meet the EPA’s rules to upgrade, replace or close it down. Higuchi said the rules required regulated underground storage tanks to have a spill, overfill, and corrosion protection by December 1998.

He said the Civil Defense Office was inspected and given numerous opportunities by the EPA and the Guam Environmental Protection Agency in 2003 to bring its tank into compliance but failed to follow the recommendation.

In addition to the payment of the fine, the EPA’s settlement order requires the office to close its underground tank in 30 days by cleaning and removing the tank system from the ground; complete a facility site assessment in 60 days in order to discover if the tank was leaking; and submit a tank closure report to EPA not exceeding 100 days.

Higuchi said they are closely working with Guam EPA to inspect all underground tank sites by the end of 2005, adding that they would have to cite facilities not complying with the rules if necessary.

The EPA frequently conducts unannounced tank inspections. Owners and operators who are cited with a field citation can correct the violations, submit documentation, and pay the settlement amount within 30 days.

Higuchi said formal administrative complaints may also be pursued for violations and may subject owners and operators to penalties of up to $11,000 per violation per tank per day in addition to the added cleanup costs for leaking tanks. (Marconi Calindas)