Maine Firm Fined for Oil Spill Prevention Violations, Inadequate Security
An oil distribution company will pay $8,000 for failing to adequately prepare and implement Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) plans at two of its facilities in Stonington, Maine, located directly adjacent to Penobscot Bay. An inspection by EPA and the Maine Dept. of Environmental Protection found that R.L. Greenlaw's oil storage facilities in Stonington had failed to maintain sufficiently impervious secondary containment for its oil tanks at both locations and failed to construct adequate containment for the loading and off-loading areas at one of the locations adjacent to the harbor. Both facilities lacked adequate security measures, said EPA, which has regulations to prevent unauthorized access to oil storage containers.
Following EPA's inspection and contacts with the company, R.L. Greenlaw submitted and has begun implementing corrective action plans for both facilities. These plans include liquid-tightness tests at the site near the harbor to identify leaking areas in the containment walls and floor, dike repairs, and construction of poured concrete spill containment areas for the oil transfer areas.
EPA noted that spill prevention and control laws help ensure that a tank failure or spill does not lead to oil being released into surface waters, such as harbors, rivers or streams. The regulations require that certain spill prevention and response measures be implemented at facilities that store oil above threshold amounts. Since 2007, EPA has conducted inspections at more than 100 facilities in New England to determine their compliance with the Oil Pollution Prevention regulations, the agency said.