All News Releases By Date

EPA Settlement with U.S. Postal Service Helps Protect Soil and Groundwater from Underground Storage Tank Leaks in Virginia

Release Date: 06/03/2014
Contact Information: Donna Heron 215-814-5113 / heron.donna@epa.gov

PHILADELPHIA (June 3, 2014) – Through a settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has certified that five of its facilities in Virginia are currently in compliance with federal and state underground storage tank (UST) regulations.

As part of this certification, USPS has corrected violations associated with its failure to conduct release detection testing; line leak detector testing; a line tightness test, and failure to investigate/report a suspected release. The USPS will also pay a civil penalty of $55,258.

With millions of gallons of petroleum products and hazardous substances stored in USTs throughout the U.S., leaking tanks are a major source of soil and groundwater contamination. Federal and state UST regulations are designed to reduce the risk of underground leaks thus minimizing environmental harm and avoiding the costs of major cleanups.

EPA alleged violations of federal and state UST regulations at the following facilities:

USPS Prince William Branch, Woodbridge. $16,469 penalty for failure to conduct: release detection testing; annual test of the line leak detector; annual line tightness test; and failure to investigate/report a suspected release associated with its 10,000 gallon gasoline tank.

USPS Woodbridge Main Branch. $5,514 penalty for failure to conduct annual test of the line leak detector associated with its 4,000 gallon gasoline tank.

USPS’s Dulles Vehicle Maintenance Facility, Sterling. $15,296 penalty for failing to conduct annual test of the line leak detectors associated with three of its 10,000 gallon diesel and gasoline tanks.

USPS Cave Springs Facility, Roanoke. $3,399 penalty for failing to conduct annual test of the line leak detector associated with its10,000 gallon gasoline tank.

USPS’s Hampton Vehicle Maintenance Facility, Hampton. $14,580.00 penalty for failing to conduct annual test of the line leak detectors associated with its10,000 gallon gasoline tank; 4,000 diesel fuel tank; 1,000 gallon motor oil tank; and a 1,000 gallon used oil tank.

As part of these settlements, the USPS did not admit liability for the alleged violation. The settlement penalties reflect the USPS’s cooperation with EPA in correcting the alleged violations and resolving this matter.

For more information on underground storage tanks, go to: https://www.epa.gov/oust/index.htm.