Barring any shortages or extreme situations, gas stations often store thousands of gallons of fuel in an underground reserve inside large holding tanks, comparable in size to an average swimming pool. These tanks are safer from damage and tampering when underground, though this enables a nearly untraceable risk. The propensity for underground storage tanks, or USTs, to leak fuel into the surrounding soil and water supply was legally addressed in the 1980s.
Today, the UST Program operates under the Groundwater Branch of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management and regulates operating conditions for these tanks, as well as the protocol for testing, stopping, and cleaning up leaks. These regulations, in conjunction with other factors such as state-of-the-art construction materials, have proven to be effective as there are fewer instances of pollution related to leaking underground storage tanks. However, leaking still does occur. In many cases, years pass before the contamination is discovered while the leaking tank goes unaddressed, thus advancing the overall damage.
Consequences of Contamination
Contamination will have a severely negative impact on a property’s fair market value. More worrisome still, groundwater contaminated with petroleum products causes severe ecological damage and is rendered useless for both human and livestock consumption. These hazards must be avoided at all costs, and if you or someone you know has proof or suspicious of contamination of this variety, allow us to fight for you.
Seeking a Top-Rated Injury Attorney to Advocate on Your Behalf? Contact Us Today
If your property has been polluted and damaged by an improperly maintained storage tank, we at Morris, Andrews, Talmadge & Driggers, LLC (MCATD) want you to know this is absolutely unacceptable and our legal team will fight tirelessly to hold the responsible parties liable. Our skilled attorneys will go above and beyond to recover the compensation you deserve.
To get started on your case, call (844) 654-6228 to schedule an initial case evaluation with a trusted representative of our firm.
