Companies in NJ and NY hit with underground storage tank fines

From the Environmental Protection Agency

NEW YORK (October 30, 2023) – In four separate enforcement agreements the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has taken action against several corporate entities operating in New Jersey, New York, and the U.S. Virgin Islands to address alleged violations of federal laws regarding the maintenance and operation of underground petroleum storage tank systems. In separate settlements, the companies have agreed to comply and pay penalties. 

“EPA’s requirements are designed to ensure proper maintenance of underground storage tanks. When these tanks are not properly maintained, they can leak and put people and the environment at risk,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “EPA takes these requirements very seriously and owners will face penalties if they do not comply.”

When not properly operated and maintained, underground storage tanks (USTs) can leak petroleum and other hazardous substances, threatening soil and water quality. These regulations prevent and detect fuel releases that could contaminate groundwater and pose risks to people’s health and the environment.  

In New Jersey, ADPP Enterprises, Inc., and APM Management, Inc., operators of 13 gas stations in New Jersey, settled a case with the EPA for violating federal rules on USTs storing gasoline or diesel fuel. The EPA discovered that the gas stations failed to comply with spill prevention, leak detection, inspection, and record-keeping requirements for USTs between 2018 and 2020. The gas station owners have agreed to pay a $175,000 penalty and certify their compliance with the UST rules at their facilities. 

Wawa, Inc., a New Jersey-based company that operates gas stations and convenience stores, has settled with the EPA for violating federal regulations on USTs containing gasoline or diesel fuel. Following inspections at nine Wawa facilities in February and March of 2022, the EPA determined the company had failed to meet operator training, record keeping, and leak detection requirements for USTs. Wawa has agreed to pay a civil penalty of $26,500 and certify its compliance with UST regulations at its facilities. 

In New York, EPA found Dutchess Terminals, Inc., ANK Realty Inc., and Fair Oak, Inc., three companies that own and operate underground storage tanks storing gasoline or diesel fuel at 11 facilities across New York State, in violation of federal rules on financial responsibility, leak detection, spill prevention, and UST inspection requirements between November 2017 and April 2019. The companies have agreed to pay a $150,000 penalty and certify their compliance with the UST rules at their facilities.  

AT&T Transoceanic Comm. LLC, which owns and operates underground tanks storing fuel for emergency power generators at 28 facilities in New York, New Jersey, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, violated federal rules on spill prevention, inspections, and operator training at three of its facilities in the U.S. Virgin Islands, which EPA inspected in 2022. The company has agreed to pay a $40,000 penalty and conduct a comprehensive audit of its compliance with all UST rules at its New York and New Jersey facilities. 

Approximately 542,000 underground storage tanks nationwide store petroleum or hazardous substances. The greatest potential threat from a leaking UST is contamination of groundwater, the source of drinking water for nearly half of all Americans. EPA, states, territories, and tribes work in partnership with industry to protect the environment and human health from potential releases. 

For more information on underground storage tanks, visit http://www.epa.gov/region02/ust/.  

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Lumberton sidesteps early release of deputy mayor’s 911 call

Gina LaPlaca. (Photo: Nikita Biryukov for the New Jersey Globe)

David Wildstein, New Jersey Globe, October 30 2023 9:37 pm

Lumberton Township officials have so far declined to expedite requests for 911 calls and police body camera footage of an incident late Friday night that led to the arrest of Deputy Mayor Gina LaPlaca for assaulting her husband, political activist Jason Carty.

LaPlaca, a Democrat, is up for re-election in next week’s general election.

The New Jersey Globe asked for copies of the arrest reports, summonses, audio and video files under the state’s Open Public Records Act.  The municipality has seven business days to respond but was asked to provide the records immediately to obviate any appearance that they are making decisions based on the upcoming election.

Carty was arrested first, and based on his comments to the Lumberton Police Department, a sergeant was dispatched to their home to take LaPlaca into custody.  On Sunday, Carter said he was entirely at fault.

LaPlaca is at the center of a dispute in Neptune Township, where she is the business administrator.   A series of anonymous emails sent to Lumberton officials allege that she was involved in an inappropriate relationship with a police officer who was her subordinate.

In a telephone interview with the New Jersey Globe on Monday, LaPlaca confirmed the issue but insisted that nothing was improper.

“My relationship is purely professional.  We had a social relationship where we’d grab a beer together and talk shop,” La Placa told the New Jersey Globe.  “The social aspect of our relationship has been over for quite some time.  Some will try to make more of this than there is.”

Read the full story here

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Meet Andy Kim’s new campaign manager

Noah Dion has worked for Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg and helped Democrats win Senate and Governors’ races in Pennsylvania in 2022

Andy Kim for U.S. Senate campaign manager Noah Dion. (Photo: Noah Dion via LinkedIn.)


By David Wildstein, New Jersey Globe, October 27 2023 3:09 pm

Andy Kim has tapped a veteran political operative who worked for Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg to manage his U.S. Senate campaign.

Noah Dion spent the 2022 cycle running the Pennsylvania Democratic Party’s coordinated campaign.  On his watch, Josh Shapiro was elected governor by a 15-point margin, and John Fetterman won a U.S. Senate seat by five points; both defeated New Jersey men, Doug Mastriano of Hightstown and Mehmet Oz of Cliffside Park, respectively.

He was the deputy national vote-by-mail director for Biden during the 2020 general election.  In the Democratic presidential primaries, Dion was Buttigieg’s New Hampshire Organizing Director and Ohio State Director.   Kim has close ties to Buttigieg: they were Rhodes Scholars together, and following Cory Booker’s withdrawal, he endorsed the former South Bend, Indiana mayor for president.

Dion has run multiple campaigns in Ohio and worked for the American Federation of Teachers and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Read the full story here

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Can you guess which is the poorest town in New Jersey?

Editor’s Note: We were wrong, guessing it was in Salem County

By Jesse P. Diaz, Newton (Ga.) County News

Lakewood, a municipality located in Ocean County, approximately 50 miles to the east of Philadelphia, holds the distinction of being the most economically challenged town in New Jersey. According to the data from the U.S. Census Bureau in 2019, Lakewood had a poverty rate of 40.5%, which was the highest among all places in the state with a population of at least 1,000.

Remarkably, Lakewood’s poverty rate surpasses that of nearly every city in the United States, with Pharr, Texas being the sole exception. In this blog post, we will delve into the factors contributing to Lakewood’s high poverty rate and explore both the hurdles and possibilities that the town confronts.

Established in the late 19th century as a resort destination for affluent visitors from New York and Philadelphia, Lakewood was renowned for its picturesque lake, upscale hotels, and golf courses. The town also drew in many Jewish immigrants and subsequently became a hub for Orthodox Judaism in America.

Over the course of the 20th century, Lakewood experienced transformative shifts affecting its economic landscape and demographics. The Great Depression, World War II, and suburbanization led to a decline in tourism and the closure of numerous hotels. Simultaneously, the town’s population became more diverse with an influx of African Americans, Hispanics, and immigrants from various countries.

Lakewood presents a stark contrast in terms of economic disparities, with a substantial gap between the wealthy and the impoverished. With a population of around 106,000 residents, it ranks as the seventh-largest municipality in New Jersey. The town is also home to one of the largest yeshivas (Jewish religious schools) globally, Beth Medrash Govoha, boasting over 6,500 students.

The Orthodox Jewish community accounts for approximately half of the town’s population, profoundly influencing its culture and politics. Additionally, Lakewood houses a sizable Hispanic community, primarily from Mexico and Guatemala, along with various other ethnic and religious groups. The median household income in Lakewood stands at $47,533, well below the state average of $89,703, and the town grapples with a high unemployment rate of 9.9%, compared to the state average of 6.7%.

Read the full story here

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Here are the worst of the worst climate polluters in 2022

EPA’s annual greenhouse gas report for large emitters shows some facilities slashed their emissions while others polluted more than ever.

The U.S. Steel Corporation Gary Works, Tennessee St. gate, in Gary, Indiana, in September. The Gary Works was the largest greenhouse gas emitting iron and steel plant in the U.S. in 2022 with 10.3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions. Credit: Vincent D. Johnson / for Inside Climate News
The U.S. Steel Corporation Gary Works, Tennessee St. gate, in Gary, Indiana, in September. The Gary Works was the largest greenhouse gas-emitting iron and steel plant in the U.S. in 2022 with 10.3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions. Photo credit: Vincent D. Johnson / for Inside Climate News


By Phil McKenna, Inside Climate News October 29, 2023

Emissions from the largest greenhouse gas emitters in the U.S. were down slightly in 2022, but thousands of industrial facilities with substantial emissions remain, according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s recently released Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program data.

Emissions from large industrial sources decreased by approximately 1 percent to 2.7 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2022, according to the annual update of emissions data released on Oct.  5. The data represents emissions from 7,586 industrial facilities across nearly all sectors of the economy and represents about half of all U.S. emissions.

An Inside Climate News analysis of the data highlights the top 10 greenhouse gas emitters as well as the top emitter for each of six leading greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride, the world’s most potent greenhouse gas. 

Related

The assessment also identified top emitters of CO2 and methane, the two leading drivers of climate change,  from each of several significant sectors of the economy for greenhouse gas emissions—refineries, steel mills, liquified natural gas (LNG) export terminals, and underground gas storage facilities. 

Some of the country’s largest climate polluters slashed their emissions in 2022 or said they are in the process of doing so, either voluntarily or by government mandate.

Moving off this year’s list was an underground natural gas storage facility, the Petal Gas Storage Compressor Station in Petal, Mississippi,  a once-leading climate polluter that reduced its methane emissions by 91 percent from 2018 to 2022 and is no longer the highest emitter among gas storage sites. Other industrial facilities remained top polluters in 2022 but said they have reduced or will reduce, their emissions by 99 percent or more by the end of this year. Still, others reported their highest emissions yet in 2022.  

Click for two ‘worst’ lists

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Appalachian hydrogen hub companies and projects finally revealed

By ANYA LITVAK, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

After more than a year of speculation, the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub finally lifted the cloak and named names.

The mammoth consortium that has been selected by the U.S. Department of Energy for up to $925 million in funding to establish a hub for methane-derived hydrogen production and use, includes 15 projects and more than a dozen companies. 

Shawn Bennett, energy and resilience division manager at Battelle, and a former DOE assistant secretary, said he’s never been involved in anything this big. What some have derided as a lack of transparency has been a mad-dash, super-competitive process that’s still not over, he said. Negotiations with DOE are slated to last the next few months until the award is secured.

Still, “the cloak of competition has been removed,” said Melanie White, director of strategic engagement with Allegheny Science and Technology who is leading community engagement efforts for the hub. 

Ms. White and Mr. Bennett unveiled the projects at a DOE-run public webinar. 

The map they presented on Tuesday was different from the one Mr. Bennett showed during a presentation at an oil and gas industry conference, Shale Insight, last month. Most notably, it included the names of the companies and which projects they were developing. It also slimmed down its Pennsylvania inventory.

The map shows two dots in the Keystone State: one, in Fayette County, is EQT’s planned natural gas-derived hydrogen facility that would turn some of it into aviation fuel and sell the rest to Air Liquide, a French chemical company that plans to turn hydrogen into ground transportation fuel. The other is KeyState Zero’s project in Clinton County. This expanding effort has been in the works for years. It aims to marry onsite gas drilling with hydrogen, ammonia, and urea production and carbon sequestration.

Read the full story here

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