THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, August 3, 1994 TAG: 9408030416
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DAVID M. POOLE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium: 61 lines
The Allen administration, putting its business-first stamp on state environmental policy, is preparing to ease regulations on gasoline stations that have leaking underground storage tanks.
Under the proposed policy, service stations no longer would have to clean up contaminated soil or even pools of petroleum if no drinking wells or houses were nearby. What would constitute nearby has not been specified yet.
``If we want companies to spend money, we want them to do it for a reason - not just so they'll have a warm, fuzzy feeling,'' said Bob Baird, a spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Quality.
But conservationists say the new policy may be so lax on polluters that it could leave Virginia open to sanctions from the federal Environmental Protection Agency.
Lois Epstein, an engineer with the Environmental Defense Fund in Washington, said service stations could leave behind contaminated soil that could endanger groundwater.
``People will know if they pollute in an area where no people live, no one will come after them to clean it up,'' Epstein said.
The proposed underground-tank policy, which could save gasoline companies tens of thousands of dollars in consultants' fees and remediation costs, is slated to go into effect ``in the near future,'' according to a department memo dated July 26. It is an administrative action that does not require legislative approval.
The change would mark the second time in recent months that Republican Gov. George F. Allen has sided with the gasoline-retail lobby. In a high-profile battle with the EPA over clean air standards in Northern Virginia, Allen has fought to make sure that service stations keep a share of the business of repairing cars that flunk emissions tests.
The proposed policy on underground storage tanks, which has won the blessing of DEQ Director Peter W. Schmidt, is designed to reduce a 300-case backlog of permit applications by focusing on tanks that pose the most serious environmental risk.
Baird, a temporary DEQ worker brought in to revise the underground-tank program, said it makes no sense for service stations to spend money to restore soil to ``the way it was when Christopher Columbus arrived'' when it poses no immediate health danger.
Baird contended that removing contaminated soil is unnecessary in many cases because naturally occurring bacteria will neutralize dangerous chemicals such as benzine and xylene.
``Bacteria likes to chew on this stuff. If it sits there, it will clean itself up,'' he said.
Under current regulations, if elevated levels of petroleum are found in soil beneath gasoline tanks, the service station has to conduct a detailed investigation - which can cost $8,000 or more. Baird estimated that about half of the investigations are unnecessary.
``We're trying to save the regulated public time, money and aggravation,'' he said. by CNB