Altoona, Pa.-based Sheetz Inc. has been fined $8,500 by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for a gasoline spill in March 2006 at its College Township, Pa. store. The spill caused soil, groundwater and surface water contamination.

“Sheetz lost an undetermined amount of gasoline when an underground line serving one pump leaked,” DEP Regional Director Robert Yowell said in a press statement. “The company properly notified the DEP and took appropriate remediation activities, but the gasoline caused environmental harm that violated the state’s Clean Streams Law and Storage Tank and Spill Prevention Act.”

According to the DEP, Sheetz’s emergency contractors placed petroleum recovery booms and pads in nearby Spring Creek and constructed an interceptor trench along its east bank. The contractors also removed gasoline-contaminated soil adjacent to the creek and used a vacuum truck to remove gasoline from the interceptor trench and an observation well.

The petroleum from each of the four underground storage tanks at the store was removed for pressure tests to ensure there were no leaks. All four tanks were approved.

To date, about 200 gallons of gasoline have been recovered through various remedial activities.

Sheetz began operating a permanent remediation system in June that involves pumping contaminated groundwater from 10 wells, treating it with carbon filtration units and then discharging the treated water to the University Area Joint Authority’s sewer system.

The $8,500 fine was paid to the state’s Storage Tank Fund.