Leaking Underground Storage Tank

Paul Bohn

Leaking underground storage tanks are starting to make Pure Michigan, not so pure. These tanks buried under gas stations, occasionally leak fuel into the ground and require large cleanup operations to avoid continuous pollution.

According to government data, Michigan has the worst closure rate on cleanup sites in the nation. The reason? State officials say Michigan is underfunded, receiving only $20 million annually on a cleanup that costs north of $170 million each year.

State Senator Tom Casperson proposed a bill that would reduce state control over cleanups and pass more responsibility to private contractors. The bill would enable the DEQ to use risk-based cleanup standards for the leaking tanks, and allow civil lawsuits by people affected by the pollution. Having passed the Senate and House of Representatives, Gov. Rick Snyder is expected to approve the bill.

However, critics say the bill makes it harder to prove who is responsible for a polluted site and could increase the burden on the state. Michigan currently has over 4,500 ‘orphan’ polluted sites and financially can’t afford to have any more.

Another concern with the bill is that it ignores the problem of funding. Michigan’s cleanup program is funded by a 7/8^th of 1-cent fuel tax, generating about $56 million annually. To add insult to injury, instead of being used to clean underground tank leaks, a large portion of this $56 million is frequently used to rebalance Michigan’s faltering budget.  If you have tank or environmental problems, call Paul Bohn at (248) 380-9988.

To learn more and see the original article, visit: http://www.mlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/03/underground_storage-tank_clean.html