“This settlement represents the federal government’s commitment to protecting our nation’s waterways and creating a level playing field for businesses who are complying with the law,” said EPA Region 7 Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division Director David Cozad.

Facilities that store 1320 gallons or greater of oil products in aboveground storage tanks are subject to Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) plans, required by the Clean Water Act. The plans require, among other things, proper containment to control petroleum releases, inspections of tanks and piping, and integrity testing of petroleum storage equipment.

EPA discovered the alleged violations during inspections of the truck stops in 2023. In response to EPA’s findings, the facilities revised their SPCC plans, conducted internal and external tank inspections, and completed the necessary repairs.