Fuel Tank Replacement Months Behind Schedule

Los Angeles city officials said Monday they are months behind schedule in replacing fuel tanks at city facilities and will have to continue sending employees to private gas stations in the meantime.

The federal Environmental Protection Agency announced a decade ago that it was requiring that all operators of fuel tanks replace older vessels with double-lined tanks by Dec. 22, 1998, but the city failed to complete the work.

On Monday, officials admitted that 30 fuel tanks, which were scheduled to be replaced by this month, are now expected to be done by July. Only three tanks have been replaced so far and five others are under construction.

“It seems to me we have a timeline delay that is quite enormous,” said Councilwoman Laura Chick, adding that she is “dismayed.”

Chick chairs the council’s Public Safety Committee, which heard from General Services Department spokeswoman Arlene Taylor that 13 other tanks won’t be replaced until September.

“You understand why I’m very skeptical about you telling me September ‘99,” Chick told Taylor.

The city is spending about $1.3 million to provide alternate fueling, including mobile fuel tankers at some city facilities, through June 30, Taylor said.

Chick said the delays will mean that cost will increase.