The Yellow Cab Company of D.C., Inc. has settled an EPA complaint alleging violations of environmental regulations designed to prevent fuel leaks from underground storage tanks.
In a consent agreement with EPA, Yellow Cab agreed to pay a $34,190 penalty. The alleged violations involved three 12,000-gallon underground storage tanks at the company’s facility in Washington, D.C.
EPA’s complaint cited Yellow Cab for not adequately being able to detect fuel tank releases, not providing corrosion protection on metal piping, and not demonstrating its financial responsibility for cleanup and compensation in the event of a fuel leak.
These violations were discovered in an EPA inspection held in October of 2003, as well as through the company’s responses to followup information requests.
Yellow Cab removed and permanently closed the three tanks at its facility. The District of Columbia’s underground storage tank management division issued a letter of permanent closure to Yellow Cab in August.
As part of the settlement, Yellow Cab neither admitted nor denied liability for the alleged violations, but it has certified that it has removed and permanently closed the three tanks at the facility, in accordance with the federal and District requirements.
With millions of gallons of gasoline, oil, and other petroleum products stored in underground storage tanks throughout the United States, leaking tanks are a major source of soil and groundwater contamination. EPA and state underground storage tank regulations are designed to reduce the risk of underground leaks, and thus avoid the costs of major cleanups.
Source: EPA
