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News Release 351
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES WORKS TO REDUCE BACKLOG OF PETROLEUM STORAGE TANK CASES
Volume 35-351 |
Contact: Renee Bungart |
(For immediate release) |
573-751-4465 |
JEFFERSON CITY, MO, AUGUST 22, 2007 -- The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has received $220,000 in grant money from the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency for petroleum storage tank work. The department will use the grant money to increase the number of cleanups completed and reduce the idle site backlog. This initiative will help protect public health and the environment and return the properties to productive use.
The department’s Hazardous Waste Program currently has 1,454 active underground and aboveground petroleum storage tank facilities in various stages of the investigation and cleanup process. The department is actively working with responsible parties and their consultants on 500 to 600 sites that are conducting appropriate cleanup activities. However, the remaining facilities have been sitting at idle speed waiting for additional information from responsible parties. Generally, sites can become idle when responsible parties or their consultants fail to respond to correspondence from the department.
The department received the $220,000 additional grant monies from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through a Regional State Improvement Project grant. Responsible parties are required by law to properly close or clean up abandoned or leaking petroleum storage tank facilities. When proper cleanups are completed, the Department of Natural Resources can issue a No Further Remedial Action letter. The letter indicates the department has evaluated the site under the its cleanup process and shows no risk to human health and the environment.
For more information on the project backlog issues, please contact Ken Koon at 800-361-4827 or 573-526-0971 or at ken.koon@dnr.mo.gov.
For news releases on the web, visit www.dnr.mo.gov/newsrel. For a complete listing of the department’s upcoming meetings, hearings and events, visit the department’s online calendar at www.dnr.mo.gov/calendar/search.do.
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