EPA v. Total Petroleum Puerto Rico, Corp.

Case summary

Defendant failed to meet its legal obligation to: (a) operate and maintain corrosion protection; (b) provide release detection for tanks and piping; (c) provide automatic line leak detectors for pressurized piping; (d) maintain and provide release detection records for tanks and piping; (e) maintain and provide records of annual operation tests for line leak detectors; (f) secure monitoring wells; (g) ensure that groundwater was less than twenty feet from the surface for monitoring wells; (h) report suspected releases; (i) investigate suspected releases; (j) provide overfill prevention; (k) provide release detection for tanks in temporary closure that contain more than one inch of product; and, (l) secure UST systems in temporary closure. These are violations under Subtitle I of the Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended, commonly referred to as the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and the federally enforceable approved Commonwealth of Puerto Rico UST regulations. Region requests the prompt initiation of a civil action against the Defendant: (1) to compel the Defendant?s strict compliance with regulatory requirements; (2) to assure any necessary remedial actions; and, (3) to assess a civil penalty for the alleged violations of the UST requirements. Supplemental referral sent on September 28, 2012. Addition of four facilities. The Defendant will install, or upgrade to, a fully automated electronic release detection monitoring system at 137 facilities with Total-owned USTs in active operation and will operate the systems for at least three years. This compliance measure, valued at approximately $1 million, will connect lines with probing sensors within the USTs to an on-site computer console unit that has audible and visible alarms capable of alerting nearby gas station personnel of gas leaks and other potentially dangerous events. The obligation to install automated release detection monitoring systems will extend to any additional facilities with actively operating USTs acquired by the Defendant after the date of lodging of the consent decree. In addition, the Defendant's voluntary undertaking of a SEP, the implementation, operation and maintenance of a centralized monitoring capability estimated to cost approximately $600,000 will connect at least 125 of the facilities with electronic release detection monitoring systems to a central location. The Defendant will also provide quarterly reports to EPA regarding its operation of these systems, and will be required to provide information regarding their operation upon EPA's request.

Defendants (1)

• Total Petroleum Puerto Rico Corp.Named in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (35)

• TOTAL PETROLEUM 1311

  CARR 2, KMM 22.3 BO PAMPANA, PONCE, PR, 00780

  Registry ID: 110040055604

• TOTAL PETROLEUM 115603

  CALLE COMERCIO # 123, MAYAGUEZ, PR, 00680

  Registry ID: 110040060885

• TOTAL PETROLEUM #104116

  CARR 2, KM 1743, SAN GERMAN, PR, 00683

  Registry ID: 110040053027

• TOTAL PETROLEUM #1238

  RD 357, KM 3.9, MARICAO, PR, 00606

  Registry ID: 110037235710

• TOTAL PETROLEUM #3240

  RD 112, KM 5.4 BO ARENALES ALTOS, ISABELA, PR, 00662

  Registry ID: 110040063267

• TOTAL

  PINEROS # 263, SAN JUAN, PR, 00927

  Registry ID: 110042424061

• TOTAL RED HOOK, DBA EDDIE CONVENIENT MARKET

  17A ESTATE SMITH BAY, CHARLOTTE AMALIE, ST. THOMAS, VI, 00802

  Registry ID: 110005293137

• TOATAL LA RIVIERA

  DE DIEGO # 964 ST. INT 48, SAN JUAN, PR, 00936

  Registry ID: 110040052812

• TOTAL PETROLEUM 1247

  RD 116, 6.6, LAJAS, PR, 00667

  Registry ID: 110040074647

• TOTAL PETROLEUM 1302

  CARR 2, KM 215.4, SABANA GRANDE, PR, 00637

  Registry ID: 110040074763

• TOTAL ESSO - RODRIGUEZ

  #7 CHARLOTTE AMALIE, CHARLOTTE AMALIE, ST. THOMAS, VI, 00801

  Registry ID: 110044874794

• TOTAL PETROLEUM 115733

  CARR 149, KM 63.8, JUANA DIAZ, PR, 00795

  Registry ID: 110040067735

• TOTAL PETROLEUM 115721

  CARR 2, KM 121.4 SECTOR VICTORIA, AGUADILLA, PR, 00603

  Registry ID: 110040058709

• TOTAL PETROLEUM # 114698

  CARR 149, KM 57.8 BO TIERRA SANTA, VILLALBA, PR, 00766

  Registry ID: 110040066120

• TOTAL PETROLEUM

  AVE. EDUARDO CONDE/HAYDEE REXACH VILLA PALMERA, SAN JUAN, PR, 00912/15

  Registry ID: 110040053205

• …and 20 more

Statutes cited

• RCRA 9003 — UST Release Detection, Prevention, Correction Regulations

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• Total Petroleum Puerto Rico, Corp.entered 2015-04-28

  Primary law: RCRA

  Federal penalty: $426,000 · SEP: $600,000

Timeline (8 milestones)

• 2011-09-29Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 2011-09-30Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 2012-09-28Supplemental Referral-Other
• 2015-03-09Complaint Filed With Court
• 2015-03-09Final Order Lodged
• 2015-04-28Final Order Entered
• 2015-04-28Concluded
• 2020-05-12Enforcement Action Closed