Opinion ID: 1921947
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The South Portland Office Site

Text: ¶ 3 When DownEast began preparation for the removal of an underground heating oil storage tank at its office site in South Portland, it retained J.B. Plunkett Associates, Inc., (JBP) to conduct a site assessment for possible petroleum contamination. Using guidelines provided by the Department of Environmental Protection, referred to as the Hydrocarbon Spill Decision Tree, JBP advised DownEast that it would be required to remove all free product and to remove or remediate soil saturated with gasoline, kerosene, or fuel oil following the removal of the storage tank. A field representative from the Department concurred. ¶ 4 After removing the storage tank, DownEast found and removed five gallons of heating oil that remained on the clay subsurface soils at the bottom of the excavation. Twelve soil samples were also taken from the excavation area. One sample revealed concentrations of petroleum vapor above the Department's notification level, and DownEast reported the finding to the Department's field representative. JBP also performed a soil saturation test on [the contaminated soil] sample ... which did not identify petroleum-saturated soils. ¶ 5 DownEast then prepared to dispose of some of the surrounding soil. In order for DownEast to transport the soil to a disposal facility, it required certification from the Department regarding the nature of the soil contamination. The Department provided the required certification through what is referred to as a virgin petroleum letter. [1] DownEast then removed over 236 tons of soil from the site and sought reimbursement for the costs of the removal from the Ground Water Oil Clean-up Fund. See 38 M.R.S.A. § 569-A. ¶ 6 Upon DownEast's application for reimbursement, the Department initially issued an order, containing findings of fact and an eligibility determination, in which it concluded that DownEast was eligible for coverage by the Insurance Fund for eligible costs incurred in removing the soil. According to the order, to receive the reimbursement DownEast was required to (1) meet the deductible of $2500, (2) provide the Department with copies of invoices or reports documenting the costs, and (3) perform any further cleanup to the satisfaction of the Department. The order specifically provided that no further clean-up was required. ¶ 7 When DownEast submitted its invoices, however, the Department re-examined its file regarding coverage of cleanup costs at the South Portland site and declined to approve payment from the Fund. It concluded that because DownEast was required only to remove saturated soil, and because JBP's tests revealed that there was no such soil at the site, DownEast was not entitled to any reimbursement from the Fund. Thus, it announced that [s]ince the Department did not require the removal of any contaminated soils at this site, there are no eligible cleanup costs and DownEast Energy will not be reimbursed for any expenses.