Illinois EPA Refers Mac's Convenience Stores, LLC to Attorney General for Enforcement

SPRINGFIELD — Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Director Lisa Bonnett has referred an enforcement action to the Illinois Attorney General’s office against Mac’s Convenience Stores, LLC for releasing free product (gasoline) into the ground and the groundwater in Danville, Illinois. The Agency is seeking an order requiring the company to immediately control the gasoline release from the site, discover the source of the release, remediate contamination resulting from the release and take all necessary steps to prevent the recurrence of a similar release in the future.

Mac’s Convenience Stores is the owner/operator of a Circle K located in Vermilion County. The facility is located at 2606 North Vermilion Street, Danville.

On August 19, 2014, the Illinois EPA received a report from an environmental consultant of a Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) incident. The consultant reported a gas or vapor cloud at a Circle K station in Danville. The initial reports indicated possible impact of a storm sewer and a neighboring business. After investigation, to date no evidence of free product has been detected in any storm sewers or in Lake Vermilion.

The environmental contractor has been on site since August 19, working to pump and remove fuel/water mixture from the site. Additionally, oil-absorbent booms were placed at storm drain outfalls and an interceptor trench was constructed to prevent free product from traveling beyond the site. To date, 14,000 gallons of fuel and water has been removed from the tank pit and 100 gallons of sludge was removed from a neighboring property.

The Illinois Office of the State Fire Marshal also required a number of tests to be run on the tanks and lines, while also shutting down the fueling station of the site. The Circle K station is not dispensing gasoline while cleanup is ongoing.

In the referral, the Agency cited violations of the Illinois Environmental Protection Act, in which the facility caused, threatened or allowed the discharge of contaminants so as to cause or tend to cause water pollution and deposited contaminants upon the land creating a water pollution hazard. Illinois EPA asks the Attorney General to obtain immediate injunctive relief. Agency representatives have been on site since the initial reports were received and will continue to monitor the situation.