Kailua-Kona Gas Station Operator Fined $32,500

The state Department of Health has fined the operator of a Kailua-Kona gas station $32,500 for violating state regulations regarding the handling of underground storage tanks.

The fine was issued against Aloha Petroleum, Ltd., a Honolulu-based company which operates 10 gas stations on the Big Island, including two Aloha Island Mini Marts in the Kailua-Kona area. The station involved in the citation is located on Kuakini Highway.

Acording to the department’s Underground Storage Tank Section, Aloha Petroleum failed to monitor five underground storage tanks between June 2010 and August 2010. The company also failed to notify the department that the tanks were temporarily out of use or later that they had been put back into service.

Hawaii regulations require that underground tanks be monitored for leaks every 30 days and that the DOH be notified when there is a change in a tank’s status. The rules are designed to ensure that no petroleum or other hazardous substances are leaking into the environment.

The company may request a hearing to contest the allegations and fine, the DOH said.

***Updated at 5 p.m. to clarify which station was cited.***