JACKSONVILLE, Md. -- Exxon Mobil Corp. faces more than 50 separate lawsuits in which families are seeking $1 billion, said WBAL-TV. The families live near the Jacksonville, Md., Exxon station in Baltimore County where, in January, state environmental officials said as much as 26,000 gallons of fuel leaked for more than 30 days.
The Maryland Department of the Environment filed a 15-count suit against ExxonMobil last month as crews reportedly recovered more than 10,000 gallons of gasoline and approximately two million gallons of contaminated water.
The families said their wells have tested positive for containing the gasoline additive methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), the report said.
WBAL said the families claim Exxon took too long to notify the state and the neighborhood of the dangerous contamination. The families contend that the same station experienced a 1,000-gallon gasoline leak in the 1980s, and claimed the station had a chance to stop the recent leak early on.
We have knowledge that a station employee early on, within that first week, brought to the attention of Exxon specific discrepancies in the amounts of gasoline, and Exxon chose not to close this gas station, Stephen Snyder, an attorney for the families, told the news outlet.
Snipes reported the families want a community water supply installed. The state suit seeks up to $25,000 per day of violation in addition to reimbursement for costs incurred as a result of the spill. State law allows an additional $100 per gallon in fines for spills of more than 25,000 gallons.
All Maryland station operators will face even tighter controls on petroleum products.Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.