EPA v. CITYGAS CORP ET AL

Case summary

THE DEFENDANTS FAILED TO COMPLY WITH RELEASE DETECTION, UPGRADE, CATHODIC PROTECTION, SPILL REPORTING, CLOSURE, AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS FOR UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS (USTS). Three gasoline service stations owned and operated by various Defendants (SEFT Defendants) containing USTs which were not provided with appropriate methods of release detection or cathodic protection, were not properly upgraded and/or closed. US sought penalties and injunctive relief in the form of continued monitoring, compliance, and submission of data to EPA. The second settlement concluded on February 20, 2009. A second amended complaint was filed on July 6, 2009. The third settlement was concluded on August 26, 2009. The fourth settlement was concluded on October 22, 2012 and requires the Defendants to pay a penalty and imposes continuing compliance and reporting requirements for the three stations and eleven USTs still owned by the Defendants. A Stipulation of Settlement of Stipulated Penalty Claims was entered on August 9, 2016.

Defendants (64)

• 10 B STREET REALTY CORPNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• 117-01 SPRINGFIELD BLVD REALTY CORP
• 141-50 UNION TURNPIKE (NY) INC
• 14TH AVE OPERATING CORP
• 14TH AVE REALTY CORPNamed in complaint
• 4090 BOSTON ROAD CORPNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• ASTORIA GAS (NY) INC
• AVENUE O OPERATING CORP
• AZADALLI, MIRIAM
• BUSHWICK GAS INC
• CITYGAS GASOLINE CORPNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• FINKELSTEIN, RICHARDNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• FOSTER OPERATING CORPNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• FOSTER REALTY CORPNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• FULTON GAS (NY) INCNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• GARRISON GAS INC
• GARY'S AUTO SERVICE STATION INCNamed in complaint
• KHANNA, SUMAN
• MILMAN, GARY
• PANORAMIC AUTO SERVICE STATION INC
• PENN-FULTON MANAGEMENT INCNamed in complaint
• QUINCY GAS (NY) INCNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• SCHENKEL, RICHARD
• SPRINGFIELD OPERATING CORPNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• TIJUANA ENTERPRISES INCNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• …and 39 more

Facilities (24)

• CITYGAS-LEGGETT

  1081 LEGGETT AVE, BRONX, NY, 10474

  Registry ID: 110013717371

• CITYGAS CORP

  2800 BRUCKNER BLVD, BRONX, NY, 10465

  Registry ID: 110001565342

• CITYGAS CORP

  4090 BOSTON RD, BRONX, NY, 10475

  Registry ID: 110001596327

• CITYGAS CORP

  1508 BUSHWICK AVE, BROOKLYN, NY, 11207

  Registry ID: 110013717068

• CITYGAS CORP

  2642-66 FULTON ST, BROOKLYN, NY, 11208

  Registry ID: 110016762948

• LIBERTY GAS (A.K.A. CITIGAS 2509)

  2509 VICTORY BOULEVARD, STATEN ISALND, NY, 10314

  Registry ID: 110054070170

• CITYGAS CORP

  83-10 ASTORIA BLVD, QUEENS, NY, 11370

  Registry ID: 110015667410

• CITIGAS

  168 FLUSHING AVE, BROOKLYN, NY, 11205

  Registry ID: 110039168012

• 145-15 ROCKAWAY BLVD PETROLEUM

  145-15 ROCKAWAY BOULEVARD, JAMAICA, NY, 11436-1616

  Registry ID: 110019037166

• CITIGAS

  20 SHERIDAN BLVD., HEMPSTEAD, NY, 11096

  Registry ID: 110019164820

• CITYGAS CORP

  3715 14TH AVE, BROOKLYN, NY, 11218

  Registry ID: 110009488312

• ROUTE 295 TRUCK STOP

  185 STRAUGHNS MILL ROAD, PEDRICKTOWN, NJ, 08067

  Registry ID: 110014942161

• 10TH AVE SS INC - DHINSA GAS - CITY GAS

  303 10TH AVE, NEW YORK, NY, 10034

  Registry ID: 110001596354

• CITYGAS CORP

  10 BOND ST, NEW YORK, NY, 10012

  Registry ID: 110016762911

• CITIGAS

  1945 BARTOW AVE, BRONX, NY, 10469

  Registry ID: 110039168021

• …and 9 more

Statutes cited

• RCRA 9005 — Inspections, Monitoring, Testing, Corrective Actions
• RCRA 9003 — UST Release Detection, Prevention, Correction Regulations

Enforcement conclusions (5)

• CITYGAS CORP ET AL - SEFTentered 2009-02-20

  Primary law: RCRA

  Federal penalty: $325,000

• CITYGAS CORP ET ALentered 2009-08-26

  Primary law: RCRA

  Federal penalty: $1,400,000

• CITYGAS CORP ET AL - Leggett Land Limitedentered 2006-05-19

  Primary law: RCRA

  Federal penalty: $100,000

• CITYGAS CORP ET AL - Finkelsteinentered 2012-10-22

  Primary law: RCRA

  Federal penalty: $475,000

• CITYGAS CORP ET AL - Finkelsteinentered 2016-08-09

  Primary law: RCRA

Timeline (8 milestones)

• 2001-01-05Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 2001-03-30Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 2003-12-19Complaint Filed With Court
• 2005-06-30Amended Complaint
• 2009-07-06Amended Complaint
• 2016-07-12Final Order Lodged
• 2016-08-09Final Order Entered
• 2017-12-12Enforcement Action Closed