ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — An Army garrison in Fairbanks will pay nearly $160,000 to government regulators after being found in violation of an act designed to protect groundwater.
Fort Wainwright will pay the Environmental Protect Agency after the garrison didn’t test for suspect leaks in underground tanks.
The government says 19 of the 20 tanks holding liquids like gasoline, jet fuel, diesel, oil and antifreeze were out of compliance. Some tanks hold up to 30,000 gallons. The settlement comes after EPA inspections of the tanks in 2012 and 2013.
No actual leaks were reported, but base officials wouldn’t have known if one occurred because there was no follow-up on tank-monitoring reports.
EPA officials both the Fairbanks and Fort Wainwright drinking water supplies could have been at risk.
Information from: Fairbanks (Alaska) Daily News-Miner, http://www.newsminer.com
