ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, January 14, 1996 TAG: 9601150007
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV13 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: WYTHEVILLE
Wythe Fuel Service has hired an environmental consultant to look into a state report blaming its service station for gas contamination.
The state Department of Environmental Quality claims that the Fourth Street Exxon station owned by Wythe Fuel Service is the source of intermittent gas-contaminated water and petroleum vapor problems that have existed in the jail basement since 1987.
The DEQ report, which has been reviewed by its Southwest Regional Office staff in Abingdon, also blames the gas station for vapor problems reported in the Tomchin Furniture Store in downtown Wytheville on Main Street.
The state office has sent a letter to Wythe Fuel Service saying a corrective plan is required. A company spokesman said its environmental consultant will try to find out if there is any basis to the DEQ claim.
Besides the potential gas station source, the regional DEQ staff said it believes the gas was released from a 2,000-gallon underground storage tank formerly situated at the jail.
The staff expressed concern in the report that contaminated soil around the pit where the tank was situated may be in contact with groundwater. It recommended additional boring and sampling activities around the pit area to determine the extent of such contamination.
LENGTH: Short : 32 linesby CNB