Inspections of bulk oil facilities yield violations

Four businesses in the Tri-parishes paid fines ranging from $800 to $1,500 for violating federal Environmental Protection Agency regulations following inspections of bulk oil facilities conducted in May, said EPA spokesman Dave Bary.

Bulk oil facilities have aboveground storage tanks containing petroleum products.

Bary said the agency does not conduct inspections of the facilities on a regular basis, but as resources and time permit.

The businesses violated parts of the EPA’s Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure Program regulations. The measure, established in 1990 to help implement the Clean Water Act, seeks to keep spills from aboveground and underground storage tanks from occurring.

The regulations contain requirements for oil spill prevention and response.

Bary said the following businesses paid fines as part of an Expedited Settlement Agreement in July. All four businesses certified with the EPA that the deficiencies were corrected, he said.

• Kajun Truck Plaza, located at 640 AO Rapellett Road in Golden Meadow. Fined $1,500. Violations included having no spill prevention control and countermeasure plan, $1,000; facility not fully fenced and entrance gates not locked or guarded when plant unattended or not in production, $100; no training on operation of equipment to prevent discharge, $50; and lighting not adequate to detect spills during hours of darkness or to deter vandalism, $100.

• Kajun Sportsman; marina, convenience store, truck stop located at 27900 La. Highway 1 in Golden Meadow. Fined $1,450. Violations included having no spill prevention control and countermeasure plan, $1,000; facility not fully fenced and entrance gates not locked or guarded when plant unattended or not in production, $100; and no training on operation of equipment to prevent discharge, $50.

• American Vacuum, tank cleaners, located at 1232 Siracusa Road in Morgan City. Fined $900. Violations included not having the spill prevention control and countermeasure plan certified by a professional engineer, $400, and not having management approval of the plan, $300.

• Ocean Marine Contractors, vessel disposal services, located at 9084 La. Highway 182 East in Morgan City. Fined $800. Violations include secondary containment appearing to be inadequate, $500, and having records of inspections not including inspections of tank supports/ foundations, deterioration, discharges and/or accumulations of oil inside diked areas, $100.

All four businesses also had inspections and tests that were not in accordance with written procedures developed for the facilities, which carries a $50 fine.