FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Many of Florida's gas stations are running out of time to comply with a state law requiring them to upgrade their underground storage tanks, according to a report in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Forty-three percent of the underground fuel storage tanks in South Florida do not meet standards the state Legislature approved 18 years ago, the newspaper reported. That law requires a double-walled system for underground storage tanks by 2009.
Officials say the outdated tanks pose a risk to public health and the environment.
The Sun-Sentinel analyzed data [image-nocss] collected from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. As of Jan. 28, a total of 11,168 underground fuel tanks—out of a total 26,529—had not been replaced with the proper systems, the newspaper reported.
Industry observers warn that installing double-walled tanks could force many filling stations out of business, given the $250,000 to $400,000 costs.
State officials said tank owners who don't make preparations to begin work by summer could run into trouble because ordering and installing the tanks could take months. Only a limited number—perhaps dozens—of state-certified contractors are qualified to do the work.
Old underground tanks have a single-walled system that doesn't provide the best protection against leaks. The system required by the law includes a double-walled tank designed to catch fuel leaks before they could contaminate soil and groundwater.
The law was written to protect the environment and the state's drinking water supplies—90% of which are underground. Fuel is considered a hazardous waste; one gallon can contaminate 1 million gallons of water, according to the environmental organization Sierra Club.
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