Pennzoil Quaker State cleanup method approved

The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection has approved a cleanup method from Pennzoil Quaker State Co., doing business as SOPUS Products, for the former Shell Downs Station in Marion County.

The site is located at Sunshine Road in Rachel and includes approximately 8.7 acres. The facility formerly contained eight above ground storage tanks (ASTs) and crude oil pumping facilities. It was formerly an active oil gathering facility, where crude oil from nearby production wells was transferred to the ASTs, with the stored oil periodically transferred to a pipeline which ran through the area. The future use of the property will be undeveloped open space

The cleanup method includes the placement of institutional controls on the property. These controls will consist of land use covenants that will prohibit installation of water supply wells (prohibit extraction of groundwater at the site for any use except for ground water monitoring and/or remediation). Construction of buildings will also be prohibited on the site which will be maintained as green space.

Pennzoil Quaker State negotiated a Voluntary Remediation Agreement (VRA) with the DEP for this property on April 30, 2008, under the state’s Voluntary Remediation and Redevelopment Act. The Act encourages voluntary cleanups of contaminated sites, as well as redevelopment of abandoned and under-utilized properties, with an objective of counteracting the lack of development on sites with contamination or perceived contamination.

The Voluntary Remediation Program identifies and addresses potential contamination at a given site; sets applicable remediation standards; and ensures that the standards are maintained at the site. By providing financial incentives to invest in brownfields, this approach protects communities and the environment while still promoting economic development in West Virginia.

Questions regarding the Voluntary Remediation Program or this application should be directed to either WVDEP Project Manager Pasupathy Ramanan (WVDEP—OER, 2031 Pleasant Valley Road, Suite 1, Fairmont, WV 26554; 304-368-2000, ext. 3730) or Licensed Remediation Specialist Steven Stinger (U, URS Corporation, 12420 Milestone Center Drive, Suite 150, Germantown, MD 20876; 301-820-3000, 3149).