COUNTY LAGS ON FUEL TANKS; HEALTH AGENCY PLANS HEARING TO PULL PERMITS.

Byline: David Greenberg Daily News Staff Writer

A decade after Congress passed a law mandating the upgrading of underground fuel storage tanks, 43 operators - including 13 city- and county-owned fuel dispensers - have tanks that remain substandard.

The Ventura County Environmental Health Division will hold hearings later this month to revoke permits to operate 120 tanks, or 19 percent of those overseen by the county on 48 sites, that have failed to comply with the Dec. 22 deadline.

``I don't understand why they are not in compliance,'' said Doug Beach, manager of the health division's underground tank program. ``They've not heeded our warnings. I don't see any excuses. It's baffling.''

The division oversees fuel storage in unincorporated areas and all cities except Ventura and Oxnard, which have their own programs.

To comply with the new laws, all steel underground storage tanks and adjoining pipes must have a second wall to prevent leakage from rust, catch basins to ensure spilled fuel does not get into the soil, and devices to detect leakage and prevent overflowing when the tanks are being filled.

While no permits have been revoked yet, Beach said agencies and companies that have only begun the process of falling into compliance could face fines.

``Their permits may be suspended until they come into compliance,'' said Beach, adding that fines are issued only when operators pump fuel without a permit.

The county's Fleet Services fill-up station at Camarillo Airport is one of four county-operated sites not in compliance.

Tony Patton, Fleet Services manager, acknowledged he initially overlooked the mandates and later found them confusing as the deadline approved.

``It wasn't clear enough for us to know exactly what needed to be done,'' he said. ``There is a lot involved with all of this.''

Seven of his office's tanks are now in compliance, he said.

With its two underground tanks at county fire station No. 41 in Simi Valley also shut down, fire Capt. Michael Burns said firefighters stationed there will have to get diesel fuel at nearby fire stations and gas at private stations.

``It'll be an inconvenience until we have the above-ground tanks installed,'' Burns said. ``(Firefighters) are used to pulling into their station and filling up when needed.''

He said fire officials have been replacing and upgrading tanks at the county's 30 stations for a couple of years and got all but one site refurbished by the deadline.

Wholesale unleaded gas purchased by the county costs 77 cents a gallon, while county employees using county-issued credit cards pay $1.07 a gallon at a privately owned service station, said Patton.

``We don't have enough fueling facilities to cover all areas under all circumstances,'' he said. ``And a certain amount of the mileage is (accumulated) outside the county itself. So there are areas where it makes more sense to use a credit card in some areas rather than put in a new facility.''

About $78,000 of the $1.2 million the county spent on gas last fiscal year was charged to credit cards, which can be used at most major gas stations, Patton said.

County employees using diesel-fueled vehicles are not issued credit cards and must use fuel the county purchases for 74 cents a gallon.

Rod Murphy, director of county airports, said it took until last month to replace four underground tanks at Camarillo Airport because he was in negotiations with private companies on site to pick up the tab.

``We felt the businesses should put the tanks in and not the county,'' he said. ``The negotiations took a long time. And the tanks were not leaking so we utilized them as long as possible to keep the costs at a minimum.''

The other county fueling facility not in compliance with the law is the Ventura County Agricultural Department in Santa Paula.