UNDERGROUND TANK DEADLINE NEAR

Hundreds of Missouri business owners and some homeowners with underground fuel-storage tanks face hefty fines, cleanup costs or both as Tuesday's federal deadline approaches for upgrading the tanks.

Crews can be observed at a number of service stations removing or relining old tanks.

In 1988 the federal Environmental Protection Agency started requiring all underground gasoline tanks to be replaced within 10 years with new tanks containing features to prevent leaks and to monitor whether the tanks leak. If tank owners don't meet the deadline, they could face fines ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 a day or more.

EPA has indicated that it will extend the deadline, said Kristine Ricketts, chief of the tank section for the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. She estimated that fewer than 50 percent of the tanks in Missouri have been upgraded, leaving more than 10,000 in violation.

Illinois officials estimate that 35 to 40 percent of service-station tanks may not be in compliance by the deadline.

The regulations require retrofitting of tanks to provide leak, overfill and corrosion protection. Those that can't be retrofitted or relined must be removed or sealed permanently to prevent leaks and use.

Any service station not in compliance must close Tuesday and stay closed until it complies.

Many service stations have installed or upgraded tanks.

A spokesperson for the Department of Environment Management in Indiana said there is no excuse for non-compliance. It is costly to remove a tank or have it relined, said the official, "but everybody has known about this for 10 years."

"We've been busy the last few months," said Bob Fleming, sales manager with Tank Tech Inc., which upgrades and removes tanks. "We anticipated that this would be a busy season."

Tank Tech of Blodgett is owned by Dave Russell and operates in five states.

"We've put on more people and have worked nights and holidays," said Fleming. "We're booked into January, but there will still be a number of smaller stations not ready for the deadline."

Environmental Operation Inc. of St. Louis has been racing against the clock to help companies beat the deadline.

"We anticipated the deadline and have continued to add resources to meet the demands of tank owners," said Tim Hippensteel of the company. "Removing a tank is not a simple task that can be performed by just anyone."

Hippensteel said that in Illinois a state fire marshal inspector must be present every time a tank is pulled. "If any contamination is found, that kicks in a whole new series of regulations," he said.

The company has upgraded or removed underground tanks at 40 sites in Southern Illinois and Southeast Missouri.