BEAVERDAM, Ohio -- Three Speedway SuperAmerica LLC gas stations and travel centers will pay an $80,000 civil penalty for multiple violations of federal and state water quality regulations spanning several years in a case that was filed on behalf of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) by the Ohio Attorney General's Office.
The consent order, filed in the Clark County Court of Common Pleas, requires the company to pay the penalty and operate its two remaining stores in compliance with their wastewater discharge permits. The company is currently [image-nocss] in compliance with the discharge permits for those facilities.
The Speedway-branded stores are located in Beaverdam (Allen County), Bellevue (Huron County) and Seville (Medina County), Ohio.
The Bellevue store obtained a wastewater discharge permit on Oct. 1, 2001, authorizing its wastewater treatment plant to discharge into an unnamed tributary to Stahl Ditch. Prior to that date, the facility was illegally discharging wastewater into the ditch, the OEPA said. After obtaining the discharge permit, the company failed to install additional treatment within a year, as required. That led to discharges that violated effluent limits. The company also failed to monitor the discharges as often as required.
Like the Bellevue store, the Beaverdam store was discharging from its wastewater treatment plant to Little Riley Creek without a valid permit, said the agency. It obtained a permit to discharge on Oct. 1, 1999; however, since getting the permit, there have been a large number of violations of effluent limits and monitoring requirements. The consent order requires the store to stop operating its wastewater treatment system by Oct. 31, 2006. It must comply with its wastewater discharge requirements until then. To continue operating, the facility must connect to the village of Beaverdam's sanitary sewer system.
The company has the option of closing the store instead; however, I have spoken to company representatives and they plan to extend the sewer line to serve the area, including the store, Dina Pierce, Northwest District media coordinator for the OEPA, told CSP Daily News.
The Seville store is no longer owned by Speedway. The facility operated from approximately 1990 to 2001 without a wastewater discharge permit, the OEPA said. It illegally discharged wastewater from an oil and water separator, a detention pond and pump and treat system into an unnamed tributary of Chippewa Creek.
The penalty will benefit OEPA's surface water programs and the Ohio Environmental Education Fund.
Also, to add a minor clarification to the Blade's story, Speedway is only required to cease use of its wastewater treatment system by Oct. 31; however, to continue operating the store - it must connect to Beaverdam's system. In other words, the consent order doesn't require connection to Beaverdam unless the company keeps the store operating.
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