Source: http://www.cleveland.com, January 11, 2016
By: Brenda Cain
MORELAND HILLS, Ohio – Even though the Sunoco gas station at the corner of Chagrin Boulevard and SOM Center Road is open again, the Sunoco corporation must clean up an old, unintentional gas spill.
Bill Krugh, of the Ohio Bureau of Underground Storage Tank Regulation said soil samples taken at the site last summer turned up an “active petroleum release.” According to the Environmental Protection Agency, petroleum releases can contain Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether, which can make groundwater unsafe to drink.
Village officials had been searching for the source of groundwater contamination for some time, but could not determine if the contamination was coming from the Sunoco station or the now-defunct Phillips 66 station, which had operated across the street but has been out of business for several years.
Soil test results were not returned until last week.
Mayor Susan Renda said residents have no reason to be concerned.
“Let’s be clear about this,” Krugh said. “It is not an ongoing release, but the spill did come from the tanks at the station some time ago.”
Krugh said the spill apparently occurred when Sunoco owned and operated the station, before it was bought by Wilson Brothers in 2007.
New owners of the station were given a state certificate of compliance, as well as the village’s endorsement, in December, to reopen and sell gas. Tanks began flowing the last week of 2015.
The former owners hadn’t sold gas since early 2014 when they filed bankruptcy. They maintained their car repair business until selling the station in October to Mike Rajko for $350,000.
Village officials contacted the state last year, when it appeared ground water in the area was being tainted.
According to Krugh, Sunoco has agreed to handle the clean up, though he had no timeline for the work to begin. Krugh said Sunoco was working with the state EPA, which will supervise the clean up efforts.
The EPA declined to comment.
Krugh said it is possible the site will qualify for state assurance funds, fees assessed annually to owners of underground storage tanks to help will clean up of unintentional spills.