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D STATES UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
REGION 1
wy AGENCYEnforcement & Compliance Assurance Division
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Subj:Inspection Report - Clean Water Act
Inspector: Joseph Canzano, Inspector and Oil Spill Prevention Enforcement Officer
Enforcement & Compliance Assurance Division (ECAD - EWC)
Water Compliance Section (WCS)
JOSEPH
CANZANO
Digitally signed by
JOSEPH CANZANO
Date: 2023.09.25
09: 32: 10-04'00 '
I. Facility Information
A.Facility Owner:Amaro's Market, Inc.
B.Facility Operator:Amaro's Market, Inc.
508 Middleboro Avenue
East Taunton, MA 02718
41 52'58.26 " N
71 01'40.26 " W
C.Facility Operator
Contact / s:Aaron Amaro, President
Amaro's Market, Inc.,
sunocofuel@yahoo.com
Bill Kenney, Manager / Senior Geologist
River Hawk Environmental
bkenny@riverhawkllc.com
781-536-4639
II. Background Information
D.Date of inspection: September 7, 2023
E.Weather Conditions: Sunny, 90-degree Fahrenheit
F.US EPA Inspectors: Joseph Canzano
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G. State / Local
Representative(s): Robert Murphy, Environmental Analyst
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
bob.murphy@mass.gov
508-946-2794
H.
Federally Enforceable Requirements Covered During the Inspection:
* 40 C.F.R. Part 112, Oil Pollution Prevention Regulations
40 C.F.R. Part 122, National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Regulations
40 C.F.R. Part 403, Pretreatment Regulations
III. Type and Purpose of Inspection
The purpose of the site inspection was to view site conditions and clean - up operations for a reported
oil spill from an underground fuel oil tank, oil filled containers and equipment, and potential for oil
to be introduced into the Publicly Owned Treatment Works (" POTW ") and / or municipal
stormwater collection system which discharges into surface waters.
IV. Disclaimer
Unless otherwise noted, this report describes conditions observed by U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (" EPA ") inspector / s, and / or through records provided to and / or information reported to
EPA by Facility representatives and as understood by EPA. This report may not capture all
operations and activities ongoing at the Facility. This report does not make final determination / s on
potential areas of concern and / or deficiencies. Nothing in this report affects EPA's authorities under
federal statutes and regulations to pursue further investigations.
V. Pre - inspection Facility File / Information Review
According to Federal Emergency Management Agency (" FEMA ") flood information, the property
at 508 Middleboro Avenue is within 4-mile of a federally identified Flood Hazard Zone and the
spill location is within 100-feet of fresh water emergent and forested / shrub wetland areas as
identified in National Wetlands Inventory. According to certain information received by EPA, the
spill has potential to enter the POTW and / or the municipal stormwater sewer system which
discharges into the Taunton River.
On August 29, 2023, the EPA received from the National Response Center an Incident Report
from the company's spill response contractor reporting, on August 28, 2023, an underground
storage tank release of upwards of 31,000-gallons of gasoline into the soil under a product dispenser
1 https://msc.fema.gov/portal/home
2 https://fwsprimary.wim.usgs.gov/wetlands/apps/wetlands-mapper
3 Incident Report # 1377638.
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from a fuel pipe / line failure. In response to the Report, an EPA on - scene coordinator (" OSC ")
responded to the incident and integrated into the unified command comprised of representatives
from Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (" MassDEP ") and the company's
environmental and cleanup contractors. A company representative informed EPA's OSC gasoline
migrated into the nearby wet area and has potential to enter municipal stormwater and sanitary
sewer systems.
The company's clean - up contractor detected elevated volatile organic compounds (" VOCs ") in a
manhole sump for the municipal sanitary sewer system. The City of Taunton's EPA issued National
Discharge Elimination System (" NPDES ") permit requires the City to implement a federal
industrial pretreatment program which include legal authority (sewer use ordinance) that prohibits
discharges into the sanitary sewer system including petroleum oil... in amounts that will cause
interference or pass through, pollutants which result in the presence of toxic gases, vapors, or fumes
within the POTW in a quantity that may cause acute worker health and safety problems, and
pollutants which create a fire or explosion hazard in the POTW, including, but not limited to, waste
streams with a closed cup flashpoint of less than 140 degrees Fahrenheit or 60 degrees Centigrade.
VI. In - Briefing
On September 5, 2023, EPA inspector Joe Canzano contacts Bill Kenney, company environmental
consultant / Licensed Site Professional (" LSP ") and announces EPA will be inspecting the site on
September 7, 2023. Mr. Kenny informs Mr. Canzano the owner of the property, Mr. Aaron Amaro,
would not be participating in the inspection.
On September 7, 2023, EPA inspector Joe Canzano, at approximately 10:00 a.m., arrives at 508
Middleboro Avenue property and is greeted by company representative Bill Kenney. Robert
Murphy from MADEP participated in the inspection. Inspector Canzano presents credentials and
request permission to conduct a site inspection - Mr. Kenney grants access to the site for inspection.
The group reviews health and safety protocols and logistics for conducting the inspection. Inspector
Canzano informs Mr. Kenney he observed spill absorbant material positioned at an outfall next to
the Old Colony Road bridge which crosses the Taunton River. Mr. Kenney said he installed the
material.
Inspector Canzano explains the purpose of the inspection which includes, but not limited to, to
observe general site conditions for runoff and potential spill path / s, discharge points / outfalls, and
clean - up operations. Inspector Canzano informs Mr. Kenney pictures may be taken during the site
walk.
Mr. Kenney explains method / s for installing product recovery sumps, chosen location / s for sumps
and procedures for recovering product, and equipment being used for clean - up operations.
Additionally, method / s for setting up oil absorbant controls and sampling method / s for collecting
and detecting volatile organic compounds (" VOCs ") using photoionization detector (" PID ") meters.
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Mr. Kenney points to an area in the street fronting the U.S. Post Office. The area is quarantined off
with orange traffic cones and reflective yellow caution tape. Mr. Kenney explains workers detected
elevated VOCs in a certain manhole, but levels are well below the Lower Explosive Level (" LEL ").
Inspector Canzano asked if the sewer should be ventilated, Mr. Kenney said no and that he is in
contact with local fire department if conditions change. Inspector Canzano explains federal
regulations for sewer prohibitions for pollutants which create a fire or explosion hazard in the
sewer.
VII. Site Inspection
The site is a retail gasoline station with fuel pumps which sell fuel to the general public; gasoline at
93%, 89% and 87% octane, and diesel. The station includes three (3) fueling islands. Mr. Kenney
explains the station has two underground oil storage tanks (" USTS "). A single 12,000-gallon
gasoline UST, and a second 12,000-gallon split UST which contains gasoline and diesel. Mr.
Kenney did not know the storage capacity for the individual split tanks.
The site is located in a suburban neighborhood of City of Taunton and surrounded by light
commercial and residential dwellings. The station is surrounded by a locked steel construction
fence and the entrance / gate is monitored by a local police officer. The station's driveway is asphalt
paved and impervious. A majority of runoff from the site flows to various on - site storm drains
and / or off - site to municipal street storm water drains. Runoff from a small area of the site, near
Dispenser Station No. 5/6., flows into a small circular on - site stormwater basin. The basin is round
in shape; about 12-feet in diameter and 5-feet in depth. The basin did not appear to have an outfall
pipe or overflow structure. Water, with a sheen and odor of petroleum, was observed at the bottom
of the basin. Inspector Canzano recommended an oil absorbant material be placed in the basin.
Inspector Canzano asks how the volume of the spill reported to the NRC was determined. Mr.
Kenney said a third - party estimated the amount of gasoline spilled which he reported to NRC, i.e.,
31,000-gallons of gasoline; and suspects the of spill source originates from underground piping
and / or the fuel pump for fuel the dispensers, i.e., Dispenser Station No. 5 and No. 6. Additionally,
Mr. Kenney said the USTs were pumped / emptied the day before the inspection and installed in
2002.
Mr. Kenney shows Inspector Canzano certain product recovery sumps / wells installed throughout
the site for removing / pumping product. Sumps were dug to a depth of 5-feet to 10-feet below grade
using a backhoe, and when sumps where initially installed / dug some contained has much as 12-
inches of product floating on top of water layer. Corrugated plastic piping, in the vertical, has been
installed in each well to a depth below water level. Sump piping is covered with plywood and
plastic. Contaminated soils removed during sump installation is stored in covered roll - off
containers. Inspector Canzano observes six roll - off containers keeping contents covered / sealed
using plastic tarpaulin type material from rainfall. Mr. Kenney explains periodically, gasoline and
water mixture are pumped from each sump by a vacuum truck.
Inspector Canzano asks, to date, how much oil / water mixture has been pumped from sumps and Mr.
Kenney said about 8,700-gallons. The mixture is pumped from the vacuum truck into an on - site
FRAC tank of which its contents are transported offsite for disposal. Inspector Canzano informs
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Mr. Kenny the FRAC tank is a mobile oil storage container that appears to be greater than 1,320-
gallons in volume and as such the operation may need to develop an oil spill prevention plan
(" SPCC "), and the site doesn't have a SPCC plan.
Inspector Canzano indicates the station's building roof drains may be connected to a subsurface
drainage system that could be connected to an outfall pipe behind the property. Inspector Canzano
asked if any pipes have been identified for roof drains. Mr. Kenney said he doesn't know, but the
drain openings are monitored regularly for VOCs using the PID meter and thus far no VOCs have
been detected.
Mr. Kenney shows Inspector Canzano, along the northern side of the site, where oil was discovered
seeping from the bottom of a hill / embankment and pooling. Inspector Canzano asked if he knew the
person who detected the spill. Mr. Kenney said he did not know. Inspector Canzano asked Mr.
Kenney if oil had traveled beyond the immediate area of discovery and reached surface waters or
wetland area / s. Mr. Kenney said he did not believe oil reached downgradient wetland area / s. Mr.
Kenney shows inspector Canzano downgradient locations and explains how he has been monitoring
the area / s and the embankment for more oil seepage. Mr. Kenney indicated oil seepage has stopped
when the sump / well was installed.
The ground, from the bottom of the embankment / spill location, is sloped downward toward the
north and into a wooded area. Within 40-feet of spill location is a natural channeled depression
which continues further into the woods toward the north. No observed sheen or odor of petroleum
detected in the wooded area or natural channel.
VIII. Closing Conference
Following the site walk, the following issues and observations were communicated to company
representatives:
* Petroleum / gasoline in the sanitary sewer system has potential to create a fire or explosion
hazard. Monitor and ventilate if necessary and stay in continued contact with local
firefighting official.
The operation may need to develop a SPCC plan.
* The owner / operator may receive a Request for Information letter under the authority of
Section 308 of the Clean Water Act for reported spill to the NRC.
The inspectors exited the Facility at approximately 12:15 p.m. End of report.
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