EPA orders Shell Guam to continue cleanup prior to terminal's sale

The US Environmental Protection Agency ordered Shell Guam Inc. on July 13 to continue cleaning up hazardous waste at its terminal before it is sold to another operator.

Tristar Terminals Guam, which is jointly owned by Agility Defense and Government Services of Alexandria, Va., and Dubai-based Tristar Transport, agreed to buy the operation from the Royal Dutch/Shell subsidiary in February for undisclosed terms.

Jeff Scott, waste management division director in EPA’s Southwest Region, said that Shell Guam has voluntarily been cleaning up the facility for many years under US and Guam EPA oversight. “Currently, we are satisfied with Shell’s response activities at the site, but with the impending sale of the facility, it is time to formalize cleanup responsibilities to ensure that site work continues into the future,” he said.

Monitoring stations have found that groundwater beneath the terminal is contaminated with petroleum, benzene, toluene, and other petroleum constituents and additives, according to EPA. It said that while there are no drinking water supply wells in the immediate vicinity, groundwater generally flows to the ocean west of the site and can have impacts on the Tenjo and Big Guatali rivers. Nearby wetlands and the Big Guatali River also received surface discharges from the facility, it added.

EPA ordered Shell Guam to summarize current conditions and historic cleanup operations, develop and implement an investigation plan for the facility’s solid waste areas, submit a corrective measures study, and notify and respond to any identified immediate or potential new hazardous waste releases and implement any response actions.

Contact Nick Snow at[email protected]