The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a settlement with Tristar Terminals Guam, Inc., addressing Clean Water Act violations related to the unauthorized discharge of oily wastewater into the Big Guatali River, which flows into Apra Harbor.
As part of the settlement, Tristar Terminals is required to enhance its oil-water separation processes, conduct effluent monitoring, and update its Pollution Prevention Plan to improve operations and maintenance at its petroleum storage facility in Hågat.
"Under the Clean Water Act, companies must improve their facilities to prevent oily wastewater from polluting waterways in Guam," stated EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. "This Order will stop contamination from reaching vital Guam water resources."
In 2023, an inspection conducted by EPA and Guam EPA inspectors revealed that unauthorized discharges of oily wastewater had reached the Big Guatali River. The investigation found that the facility had not properly operated and maintained treatment units, including the Oil Water Separator, resulting in inadequate treatment and excess oily wastewater leaving the facility.
Under the terms of the Order, Tristar has agreed to:
- Upgrade or replace the Oil Water Separator treatment unit to meet industry design standards
- Clean all treatment units of oily waste materials
- Increase the height of a treatment unit berm to prevent future discharges directly into the Big Guatali River
- Perform effluent monitoring on new Oil Water Separator units to ensure compliance
- Update its Pollution Prevention Plan to enhance operations and maintenance across all treatment units
Tristar Terminals Guam, Inc. owns and operates a facility spanning over 200 acres where it receives, stores, and distributes fuels across more than 20 fuel storage tanks. The site handles gasoline, A1 jet fuel, liquefied petroleum gas, Number 5 residual fuel oil, and ultra-low sulfur fuel oil.
The EPA's proposed settlement with Tristar Terminals aims to address these violations comprehensively.
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