In August 2014,  EPA removed three 4,000-5,000 gallon underground tanks which held gasoline or diesel fuel and one 280 gallon waste-oil underground tank from a former gas station in Fresno, Calif. EPA contractors will also take water and soil samples to evaluate whether the storage tanks have leaked. If the tanks leaked, EPA and the state and regional water boards will assess the level of environmental cleanup required to make the site available for reuse. Once completed, the site will be ready for redevelopment and could be used as the location for a quick-service restaurant.

This is part of a statewide initiative focused on cleaning up underground storage tank sites, including 38 sites in Fresno County. The site, currently home to American & Foreign auto repair shop, was occupied by a service station from 1937-1982. The underground storage tanks used by the service station ceased operating but remained in place.

Wednesday’s excavation, site evaluation and assessment is estimated to cost up to $138,000 and is being funded by EPA’s Targeted Brownfields Assessment Program. Since November 2012 EPA and the California State Water Resources control Board have been working with local regulatory agencies to identify and assess tank sites that have been unaddressed in Fresno and throughout the state.

Due to the high clean-up costs, these sites have remained vacant for decades. Addressing these sites can cost $10,000 to $1.5 million, depending on contamination at the site. EPA and the state will work together with property owners to assess and cleanup these sites, making them available for resale and reuse, bringing businesses and jobs back into the area. To date, more than 339 abandoned sites have been identified and more than 84 underground storage tanks removed, paving the way for redevelopment. EPA’s Brownfields Program has invested more than $600,000 towards community and housing investigation and cleanup in Fresno neighborhoods.