Insurance on hook for waste cleanup
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By Susan Smallheer Herald Staff - Published: November 1, 2008
SPRINGFIELD — A group of insurance companies representing the owners of the Springfield Shopping Plaza, the family of S.R. Young and Bradford Oil will pay the state of Vermont close to $1 million for cleaning up soil and groundwater pollution from the former GoGoGas service station.
More than12,000 gallons of gasoline leaked from rusty underground storage tanks at the gas station, said Assistant Attorney General Michael Duane.
"There is some residual contamination in the groundwater," said Duane, noting that the pollution had not affected any private wells in the area, nor had it reached the nearby Black River.
The gas station no longer exists, as it was shut down in 1996 after the leaks were discovered and the tanks dug up, according to Duane.
The leak was first discovered when the tanks underwent routine testing and water was found in the tanks, indicating a leak. He said it was unclear how long the tanks had been leaking, but said they had been installed in the 1970s.
Currently, only double-lined tanks of a certain kind of material can be installed, he said.
When the tanks were dug up, rusty holes were discovered in the tanks, he said, and the pollution was located.
Duane said the state had spent close to $600,000 on cleaning up and monitoring the pollution from the service station, and the state had successfully sued the owners of the land, the underground tanks, and the gas station itself for the costs and interest.
Duane said the issue was slated to go to trial in September, but a mediator sat down with all the parties, reaching the settlement.
The money will go back into the state's underground petroleum storage tank protection fund.
"This will reimburse our funds," Duane said, noting that the owners of every underground gasoline tank paid an annual fee of $100 which went into the fund.
Duane said the family of S.R. Young owned the tanks and Springfield Realty Co., which owns the Springfield Shopping Plaza, were "very cooperative" in working with the state to clean up the site and resolve the matter. Bradford Oil operated the gas station.
Duane said the insurance companies involved were Stonington, Northern Security and Great American Insurance Co. They represented Springfield Realty, the family of S.R. Young, and Bradford Oil.
The assistant attorney general said that several more years of monitoring and cleaning up of groundwater would be needed, and that the costs to do that were included in the $940,000 figure.
GoGoGas and its owner, Bradford Oil Co., are involved in a second pollution case in Springfield. The second GoGoGas location, which is on Clinton Street next to the new Springfield Police Station, is the source of underground pollution as well.
Duane referred questions about the second GoGoGas case to Chuch Schwer, with the Agency of Natural Resources. Schwer could not be reached for comment Friday.
Contact Susan Smallheer at susan.smallheer@rutlandherald.com.
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