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Bellingham gas station shut down for months over environmental violations

JOHN STARK; THE BELLINGHAM HERALD
Published: March 9, 2013 at 4:58 a.m. PST — Updated: March 8, 2013 at 6:15 p.m. PST
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BELLINGHAM - A once-busy discount gas station on Meridian Street has been shut down since November 2012 because of noncompliance with state environmental regulations.

The problems at SuperGas, 4209 Meridian St., were disclosed Thursday, March 7, when the Department of Ecology released a list of enforcement actions from the fourth quarter of 2012.

Ecology spokesman Larry Altose said the company has agreed not to contest the matter and has paid fines totaling $3,600 in connection with the case. The company also has pumped the gasoline out of its underground tanks.

"We have set a deadline for later this month (March) by which the station must come into compliance," Altose said in an email.

Station owner Hakam Singh said Friday, March 8, that he expects to get things straightened out and be back in the gasoline business within a few days.

Singh also operates Meridian Liquors at the same location.

On Oct. 11, 2012, Ecology assessed a fine of $2,000 against SuperGas for selling fuel without a permit and proof of insurance, and for "failure to comply with multiple underground storage tank leak prevention and detection requirements."

On Nov. 13, 2012, Ecology fined SuperGas an additional $1,600 for continuing to sell fuel without correcting the violations cited in October, and ordered the station shut down.

On Nov. 29, 2012, Ecology assessed a $1,000 fine against Harris Trucking Co. for delivering fuel to SuperGas at a time when the business was no longer licensed to receive fuel. Altose said Harris has paid that fine.

Reach John Stark at 360-715-2274 or john.stark@bellinghamherald.com. Read his Politics blog at blogs.bellinghamherald.com/politics or get updates on Twitter at @bhampolitics.

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