According to a Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) enforcement investigation, Nuch’s in the Corner convenience store in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, repeatedly failed to conduct required corrosion protection inspections and maintenance of its three underground petroleum storage tanks.
The tanks had internal linings designed to protect older underground tanks from corrosion, which can increase the chance of leaks and releases of petroleum to area soils and groundwater sources. The linings require inspection every five years and must be repaired or replaced if they fail an inspection. The MPCA had issued the store owners several warnings and citations including “red tags” in 2017 which required two of the tanks to be emptied and taken out of service because the linings failed a third-party inspection. The company was required to inspect the remaining tank in 2022 but failed to do so.
MPCA staff inspections confirmed that the store owners also failed to conduct required tests of underground piping, line leak detectors, automatic tank gauges, and overfill prevention equipment.
In addition to paying the $19,323 civil penalty, Nuch’s in the Corner was required to empty fuel from the remaining active fuel tank and remove all three of its tanks.
MPCA rules and regulations are designed to protect human health and the environment by limiting pollution emissions and discharges from facilities. When companies do not fully comply with regulatory requirements, the resulting pollution can be harmful to people and the environment.
When calculating penalties, the MPCA takes into account how seriously the violations affected or could have affected the environment and whether they were first-time or repeat violations. The agency also attempts to recover the economic benefit the company gained by failing to comply with environmental laws in a timely manner.
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