The Department of Environmental Protection Monday announced it has fined Leighow Oil Co. Inc. of Danville $63,351 for Clean Streams Law and storage tank violations that were first discovered in December 2013 at two of its facilities in Mahoning and Valley townships.

“These spills caused environmental degradation to a wetland and two creeks and could have been prevented if Leighow had properly maintained and monitored its facilities,” DEP Northcentral Regional Director Marcus Kohl said. “The department has seen improvement recently and expects that Leighow will do a much better job of operation and maintenance in the future to prevent any similar problems.”

The first spill at Leighow’s Food Shop 1 facility was discovered by the department’s Emergency Response program in early December 2013 following receipt of a citizen complaint about oil in Mauses Creek near the McDonald’s Restaurant in Valley Township.

The department’s investigation determined that gasoline and diesel fuel tanks had apparently been overfilled numerous times in September and November, and that a cap was not properly secured to one of the tank’s riser pipes.

A notice of violation was sent by DEP to the company on Dec. 9 notifying Leighow to immediately implement remedial actions to abate the discharge of diesel fuel and weathered petroleum product into Mauses Creek and its unnamed tributary.

Remedial actions taken by Leighow’s contractor included the installation of groundwater monitoring and recovery wells, geoprobe soil borings, and operation of a surface water oil skimmer and a groundwater treatment system.

In addition, the contractor removed 48,417 gallons of water and fuel oil from Mauses Creek and its tributary over a three month period using a vacuum truck.

The second spill was discovered on December 22, 2013 following notification from the Montour County Emergency Management Agency concerning a release of heating oil from an aboveground storage tank at Leighow’s storage facility in Mahoning Township.

The department’s investigation found that an overfill device on the tank malfunctioned during a night-time delivery, and a drain plug had been left open in the emergency containment structure surrounding the tank. This caused an undetermined amount of heating oil to flow through an oil/water separator and into a stormwater drainage ditch, a wetland and Mahoning Creek.

Department inspections documented a visible petroleum sheen on a spring/seep located downgradient of the containment structure, and a notice of violation was sent to the company on Jan. 9, 2014.

Leighow’s environmental contractor excavated contaminated soil and debris, and placed petroleum absorbent booms and pads at the oil/water separator and the drainage ditch.

Leighow has since corrected all of the violations cited at the Food Shop 1 facility. The company has voluntarily taken the above ground storage tank facility out of service since the incident because of additional upgrade requirements.

For more information call 570-327-3636.

1/12/2015