Ecology: Walla Walla gas station owner settles penalty for 2023 gasoline leak

WALLA WALLA – The Washington Department of Ecology and the owner of a downtown Walla Walla gas station have reached a settlement following a massive 2023 gasoline leak that forced emergency evacuations and contaminated local groundwater.

Ecology announced Monday the agreement with Wine and Country Store LLC (formerly Stillwater Holdings LLC) to resolve a $738,000 penalty and a $4.1 million cost recovery order. The legal settlement stems from a leak in a 40-year-old underground tank at the downtown Chevron station that spilled nearly 2,500 gallons of fuel.

Under the terms of the deal, the owner will pay $275,000 within 30 days and withdraw an appeal currently before the Washington Pollution Control Hearings Board. To ensure compliance, Ecology will hold the remaining penalty and recovery costs in suspension; should the owner fail to meet the settlement requirements, the full amount will become due.

The agreement prioritizes the immediate removal of all remaining aged fuel tanks at the site.

“This agreement paves the way to remove all of the old fuel tanks at the site,” Ecology’s Eastern Region Director Brook Beeler said. “This is the best path to protecting the environment, protecting people, and supporting the local economy.”

The state has secured funding to move forward with remediation efforts immediately. To protect taxpayer interests, Ecology will place a lien on the property to recover oversight and cleanup costs. The settlement also mandates stricter oversight and reporting for the station’s two remaining operational tanks.

File photo of mitigation systems installed at Stillwater Holdings Chevron

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Elkhorn Media Group