Some industry insiders also are saying that because many owners and operators have waited until the final months to bring their system into compliance, they could have difficulty finding available tank equipment, installers and state-approved contractors. Noco Energy Corp. The Town of Tonawanda company owns and runs 50 service station-convenience stores in Western New York. Newman is directing the company's 12-month program to bring its stations' tanks into compliance. Most of our tanks were already in compliance, but we found that we had 12 that needed upgrading. For the 10 locations being upgraded, the old tanks were removed and replaced with new ones.
Replacement is only one of three options that are possible.
Another involves installing fiberglass liners inside the existing tanks. To do so by the deadline will be difficult. Corporate owners such as truck fleets, bus companies and that type of thing, have cash flow from their business operations to have taken the initiative and they have upgraded their tank systems. Service station owners can face a potentially costly dilemma, Bingeman said. They are almost reluctant to start because once you start you can't reverse what happens.