The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has allocated almost $4 million to investigate and fix underground petroleum storage tanks in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico that were damaged or made worse by last year’s hurricanes. Of that, $450,000 is for the USVI.
According to a statement from EPA, the program assesses current conditions and makes federal dollars and resources available to protect public health and the environment.
“EPA is actively partnering with our territorial, public and private partners to protect human health and the environment from leaking underground storage tanks,” EPA Regional Administrator Pete Lopez said in the statement. “Underground storage tanks are important business infrastructure and are essential for fueling vehicles and other necessary items, such as backup electrical generators, but when these tanks are not properly maintained or repaired, people and the environment can be at risk from leaks of hazardous substances that can make their way into our air, water, and land.”
The money will allow the Environmental Quality Board to investigate, test and correct underground storage tank systems over the next five years, the EPA news release said.
“We are already working directly with EPA in the documentation of these systems in order to commence work as soon as possible. This work is possible thanks to the collaboration we have with federal agencies and their representatives in Puerto Rico,” said Tania Vázquez Rivera, secretary of the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources.
Underground assessment work will include testing of underground storage tank system components such as tanks and piping, sampling and analysis of soil, and groundwater samples. Cleanup work can include monitoring, treatment or removal of contaminated soils and groundwater.
In Puerto Rico there are about 4,500 federally regulated underground storage tanks located at more than 3,000 facilities and in the U.S. Virgin Islands there are about 140 active federally regulated underground storage tanks at roughly 65 facilities. Work will take place over the next several years.
The V.I. Department of Planning and Natural Resources will dispense the funds for the work, according to EPA.
