Governor Rendell: $6.1 Million In Recovery Funds Will Clean Up Leaking Underground Tanks
Press Release
Governor Rendell: $6.1 Million In Recovery Funds Will Clean Up Leaking Underground Tanks
Governor Edward G. Rendell announced today that Pennsylvania has received the maximum grant amount available to the state for leaking underground storage tank cleanup under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
The state will use the $6.1 million in federal funding to clean up 71 tank sites in 40 counties.
"Leaking underground storage tanks create a variety of problems, from soil and ground water contamination to preventing sites from being used in a productive manner," said Governor Rendell. "The benefits of these projects will be many: the clean-up work will create jobs for contractors; and the remediated sites will help attract developers which creates construction jobs and permanent jobs through new business opportunities."
In July, the state Department of Environmental Protection applied for the Recovery Act funding grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to clean up sites where the responsible party is unknown, is unwilling or unable to remediate the site or the cleanup is an emergency response situation. In cases where the responsible party is unwilling or partially able to conduct the work, DEP will perform the remediation work and may take actions to recover cleanup costs.
"This is an example of federal money being used at the local level to put people to work and make their neighborhoods better and safer places to live and work," said Governor Rendell. "This funding will enable us to take once productive sites and restore them to the point where they can be productive once again."
Pennsylvania began regulating underground storage tanks in 1989. State law requires all underground storage tanks to be registered and permitted. Newly installed and replaced underground storage tanks must be double-walled and have corrosion protection and leak detection. Tank installers must be certified by the state and tanks are inspected by DEP-certified inspectors at least once every three years.
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