EPA v. Puma Energy Caribe, LLC (Chevron Puerto Rico, LLC)

Case summary

This is a RCRA-UST case involving 100 out of over 200 facilities containing UST systems owned and/or operated by the Defendant. The violations alleged are failure to provide overfill prevention equipment, failure to provide release detection (groundwater monthly monitoring) for tanks (the wells were incapable of detecting contaminants, thus rendering this method of release detection inadequate; also failure to provide release detection for pressurized piping--specifically, failure to conduct annual test of the operation of the automatic line leak detectors (ALLDs), and failure to conduct annual line tightness test or monthly monitoring of the pressurized piping; and failure to maintain release detection records for annual test of ALLDs and annual line tightness tests. Settlement involves payment of a penalty, performance of injunctive relief, and undertaking 2 SEPs. A Supplemental Referral was sent to the Department of Justice on September 17, 2014. On February 6, 2017, the Department of Justice filed a non-material modification of a judicial consent decree under which the Defendant must pay a stipulated penalty of $150,000 for failure to fully implement two supplemental environmental projects (SEP) involving installation and operation of: (i) centralized monitoring of the release detection systems, and (ii) liquid sensors beneath dispenser pans, for underground storage tanks located at certain of the facilities (i.e., gas stations) covered by the consent decree. The CD modification also removes thirteen gas stations from the list of facilities subject to the CD's compliance and SEP requirements, because those stations' USTs were closed and removed. Finally, the modification creates a mechanism for the future removal of additional stations from the decree, conditional on payment of a $5,000 stipulated penalty for the failure to perform approximately twelve months' remaining work required under the decree.

Defendants (3)

• Chevron Puerto Rico, LLCNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• Texaco Puerto Rico, Inc.
• Puma Energy Caribe, LLCNamed in settlement

Facilities (180)

• #213-LAS LOMAS

  CARR. AVE. CENTRAL ESQ. SAN PATRICIO, SAN JUAN, PR, 00936-8415

  Registry ID: 110043716075

• LAS MAREAS S/S #858

  ROAD 3 KM. 141.1, LAS MAREAS, PR, 00000

  Registry ID: 110028190213

• #855 - PATILLAS

  CARR 3, KM 125, PATILLAS, PR, 00723

  Registry ID: 110043720417

• #381- YABUCOA

  CARR 3 INT 902, YABUCOA, PR, 00767

  Registry ID: 110043717172

• #556 - JOSE R. FRANQUI

  CARR 119, KM 0.7, BO PIEDRAS GORDAS, CAMUY, PR, 00627

  Registry ID: 110043709797

• #265-EDWIN STELLA

  CARR 842 KM 2.8 BO CAIMITO, RIO PIEDRAS, PR, 00926

  Registry ID: 110043713586

• #541 - LUMEN MENDEZ OLIVER

  CARR. 130, KM 7.8, HATILLO, PR, 00659

  Registry ID: 110043706870

• JUAN CORA

  CARR. 173, KM 2.5, ARROYO, PR, 00714

  Registry ID: 110043707058

• #637 - EDWIN PERAZA

  CARR. 493, KM 0.9, HATILLO, PR, 00659

  Registry ID: 110043707003

• #396 - JORGE PEREZ

  CARR. 172, KM 5.8, CAGUAS, PR, 00726

  Registry ID: 110043716351

• #638 - EFRAIN SAMBOLIN

  CALLE LUNA # 8, SAN GERMAN, PR, 00683

  Registry ID: 110028241392

• #559 - JESUS SANTIAGO

  CAR 111, KM 3.9, BO VIVI ABAJO, UTUADO, PR, 00641

  Registry ID: 110043705096

• #358-COMANDANTS

  AVE CAMPO RICO ESQ EL COMANDANTE URB COUNTRY CLUB, CAROLINA, PR, 00982

  Registry ID: 110043716422

• #807 - LAS AMERICAS

  AVE LAS AMERICAS, ESQ SANTA MARIA, PONCE, PR, 00717

  Registry ID: 110043716459

• TOMAS RODRIGUEZ

  AVE. LOS MILIONES ESQ. HIRAM GONZALES, BAYAMON, PR, 00959

  Registry ID: 110043707129

• …and 165 more

Statutes cited

• RCRA 9006A — Underground Storage Tanks Compliance Order

Enforcement conclusions (2)

• Puma Energy Caribe, LLCentered 2017-02-06

  Primary law: RCRA

• Chevron Puerto Rico, LLC et al.entered 2011-09-28

  Primary law: RCRA

  Federal penalty: $600,000 · SEP: $3,474,352

Timeline (7 milestones)

• 2009-03-30Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 2009-04-06Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 2011-07-25Complaint Filed With Court
• 2011-09-28Final Order Lodged
• 2014-09-17Supplemental Referral-Other
• 2017-02-06Final Order Entered
• 2021-01-20Enforcement Action Closed