AUSTIN, Texas -- As conditions permit, owners and operators of gas stations and other fueling facilities on the Eastern Seaboard are assessing the impact to their sites from "Superstorm" Sandy. What exactly they need to do to get their facility back into operation will vary widely, depending upon the type and severity of damage they sustained. But given fuel shortages and the pressing need to clean up and get back into business, it can't happen fast enough, according to Tanknology Inc., a leading underground storage tank (UST) environmental services company.
"We are beginning to hear from customers in the Northeast who are evaluating how to get their sites operational," said Allen Porter, president and CEO of Tanknology. "Fortunately, in a lot of cases, visual inspections and a manual tightness test with their automatic tank gauge is all that is necessary. But there are also plenty of situations where considerably more assessment and repair is necessary."
Tanknology has set up a webpage, www.tanknology.com/StormRecovery, devoted to helping operators determine what they need to do based upon the type of impact on their site.
The situations addressed on this informational page range from merely loss of power to minimal flooding to running out of fuel and all the way up to cases of severe flooding. It also includes links to various state and federal agencies that can provide resources or additional support.
"A few years ago, we provided assistance to the [U.S. Environmental Protection Agency] in their creation of a publication addressing this very issue," Porter said. "Titled 'Underground Storage Tank Flood Guide,' it's an excellent resource for operators facing damage from a storm like Sandy."
It is available for download on Tanknology's website.
"For some operators, the recovery process is just beginning and will take weeks or months to work through," Porter said. "But for many more, given the fuel shortages and high demand of the recovery and rebuilding period, there are only a few steps required to get back in operation--and that obviously can't happen soon enough."
Porter said the company has considerable experience in major storm recovery over its near-25-year history.
"We have offices throughout the country, and have helped our customers recover from many large storms over the years," Porter said. "We are now gearing up to help many of them through aftermath of Sandy."
Based in Austin, Texas, Tanknology provides UST environmental compliance testing and related services at more than 50,000 sites per year, for more than 3,000 customers.
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