PORTLAND OR (3/20/2012) – The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has issued penalties totaling $2,797 to Corvallis resident Nader Elias Fakhoury for violating state regulations for underground storage tank systems at a gas station he owns on 1830 Main St. in Philomath.

During an inspection in April 2011, DEQ discovered that Fakhoury had failed to provide required operator training and failed to record the status of release detection equipment designed to provide an early warning should the tank systems fail and begin leaking. State regulations require inspection of these systems at least monthly. During a DEQ inspection, the tank owner or operator must present at least 12 months of monitoring records. Fakhoury was unable to provide records.

DEQ issued Fakhoury penalties for the following violations:

· Failing to provide required training to operators of the underground storage tank system ($485 penalty)

· Failing to maintain at least 12 months of release detection records ($1,100)

· Since 2008, failing to conduct annual line leak detector testing and line tightness testing and failing to provide testing results to DEQ ($1,394)

Properly completed release detection testing ensures that releases from the underground storage tank are discovered quickly before pollution spreads. Early detection allows for more immediate response and can help prevent a potential environmental disaster that can cost tens of thousands of dollars to clean up. Leaking underground tanks can contaminate groundwater and pose a serious risk to human health and the environment.

Fakhoury appealed the penalties on January 25. Fakhoury also completed line leak detector and line tightness testing and provided training to the operators in June 2011 after notification of the violations from DEQ.

Contacts: Bob McCoy, Land Quality Program, Portland, 503-229-5048; Susan Elworth, Compliance and Enforcement, Portland, 503-229-5152