Plantation Pipe Line settles lawsuit over product spills in three states

Nov. 28, 2008
Plantation Pipe Line Co. agreed to pay a $725,000 fine and invest $1.3 million in upgrades to settle a Clean Water Act lawsuit over four oil product spills in three states, two federal government agencies and the State of North Carolina said on Nov. 4.

Plantation Pipe Line Co. agreed to pay a $725,000 fine and invest $1.3 million in upgrades to settle a Clean Water Act lawsuit over four oil product spills in three states, two federal government agencies and the State of North Carolina said on Nov. 4.

The US Department of Justice, US Environmental Protection Agency and the state jointly said that the fine was discharges of jet fuel in Virginia, Georgia and North Carolina, and for inadequate spill prevention safeguards at a Virginia facility.

The government agencies said that the Atlanta company also agreed to spend $1.3 million in spill prevention safeguards, including upgrades to pipelines and excavating buried valves to improve regular inspection capabilities.

The lawsuit cited Plantation for four separate gasoline and jet fuel spills totaling 1,005 bbl from Jan. 10, 2000, to Nov. 27, 2006. It also cited the company for not having a required spill prevention, control and counter-measure plan for a 420,000 gal storage tank at its Newington, Va., facility.

Under the settlement, Plantation will pay $715,000 to the federal government's Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund and $10,000 to North Carolina's Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Contact Nick Snow at [email protected]