DEP to seek bids for underground tank removal

Homeowners in two Bangor housing developments built with federal funds will receive state assistance in removing underground oil tanks.

Using the guidelines of the time more than 500 single-family homes in New Capehart and Bangor Gardens were constructed with underground tanks for heating oil storage. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection requires all underground oil tanks to be removed or replaced.

A politician who has followed the events, Sen. John Baldacci, D-Bangor, said that residents had told him they felt that high-pressure sales tactics were being used to get them to sign up. Furthermore, he encouraged homeowners to do nothing until the DEP organizes a single contract for the removal of all tanks.

The DEP has changed its approach to the problem several times during the past couple of years. Initially, it required homeowners to remove all tanks. Then, with prompting by vocal representatives and by politicians, it planned to place all the homes under an umbrella and put the package out to bid. Homeowners would still be responsible for paying.

The Maine State Housing Authority had a load program for low-income homeowners who had to remove the tanks. Recently it increased the eligiblity level to $30,000. The DEP said that it was easy enough for homeowners to get into the program and that the DEP would no longer put together the bid package.

At that point some politicians stepped back in to protect the interests of their constituents. At the end of August the DEP held a public meeting about the proposed changes.

Subsequently, the DEP decided to go back to putting together a bid package.

“The DEP agreed that they would meet their original promise to organize a group contract to take advantage of the economies of scale,” said Patricia M. Stevens, D-117, whose district includes Bangor Gardens.

During the bureaucratic turmoil, some homeowners went ahead and paid a contractor remove the tanks. Some of them qualified for the MSHA loan program, others did not.

Stevens said she did not know if those people who paid to have the work done had any recourse to take advantage of the benefits of the single-contract organized by the DEP.

One of the companies that has removed tanks is Fleming Construction Co. of East Holden. Last week, Fleming and the town of Holden signed a consent agreement in which Fleming admitted to violating the town’s junkyard ordinance by failing to obtain a permit before discarding the oil tanks. According to the document, Fleming also must pay $9,300 in fines and the town’s attorney’s fees in three installments.

While walking the district during his campaign, Baldacci plans to circulate consumer complaint forms to homeowners who feel they were being dealt with by less than scrupulous construction outfits.