News Releases from Region 03

EPA order enforces spill prevention safeguards at Tangier, Va. Fuel Storage Facility

PHILADELPHIA (April 15, 2020) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today that Tangier Oil Company, Inc. has agreed to take actions to reduce the risks of spills of fuel oils into the Chesapeake Bay. These actions will address the company’s alleged environmental violations at a fuel storage distribution facility that the company operates in the Tangier Harbor in Virginia.

The Tangier Oil facility, which transfers oil to and from docked vessels, has an aboveground oil storage capacity of 150,360 gallons -- including six 20,000-gallon and three 10,000-gallon storage tanks for diesel fuel, gasoline, and kerosene. 

EPA’s Administrative Order on Consent with the company addresses violations of the Clean Water Act’s Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) and the Facility Response Plan (FRP) requirements. The alleged violations included:

• Failure to have secondary containment around bulk storage tanks that is adequate to contain oil leaks;
• Failure to comply with inspection requirements; 
• Failure to develop and implement oil spill preparedness and response training; and,
• Failure to develop and fully implement a program of facility response drills and exercises.

In entering into this consent order, the Tangier Oil Company neither admitted or denied these violations but agreed to take actions on a specified timetable including: submitting a revised SPCC plan and FRP; remedying deficiencies in the facility’s secondary containment; hiring an independent consultant to evaluate and remedy any deficiencies associated with the integrity of oil storage tanks/equipment; and implementing mandatory employee training, drills and exercises.

For more information, visit https://19january2021snapshot.epa.gov/oil-spills-prevention-and-preparedness-regulations