One Love Service Station in Frederiksted Photo Credit: VI CONSORTIUM
The Department of Planning and Natural Resources announced on Thursday a fuel delivery prohibition against the owner and/or operators of the One Love Service Stations on St. Croix. Three of the One Love Service Stations are subject to the ban:
- One Love Golden Rock Service Station, 1C Orange Grove;
- One Love Princess Service Station, 36 EF La Grande Princess
- One Love West Service Station, 33-B Hannah's Rest, St, Croix
The action prohibits One Love Service Stations — owned by veteran Senator Novelle Francis, one of his brothers, and possibly other investors — from having regulated substances, including but not limited to petroleum, delivered to its underground storage tank (UST) system, D.P.N.R. said.
The agency said it has identified the following violations that triggered a fuel delivery prohibition:
- 12 V.I.C. §655, 658(a), 660 – Failure to register tanks and obtain “Permit to Operate (PTO) UST System”.
- 12 V.I.C. §669(a) and (c) – Failure to secure financial responsibility/coverage of Insurance.
- 12 V.I.R. & Regs. § 654-32 – Failure to obtain Class AB Operator certification training from a DPNR-approved source.
“Today’s enforcement holds the owners of One Love Service Stations accountable for their conduct and ensures that the public is protected”, said D.P.N.R. Commissioner Jean-Pierre L. Oriol.
D.P.N.R. said failure to register the tanks and secure financial responsibility can pose a serious safety risk, as the leaking underground tanks can release toxic components that can seep into the soil and the groundwater. This action seeks to hold the owner and/or operator of One Love Service Stations responsible for properly managing their tanks to reduce these risks, the agency said.
Additionally, petroleum products such as gasoline contain chemical compounds that pose substantial threats to human health, D.P.N.R. stated in its release. Service stations typically store gasoline in underground storage tanks. When operated conscientiously and monitored closely, underground storage tanks are a safe and effective means to store gasoline. But when those tanks are not subjected to basic operational safeguards, they can endanger the public and the environment, for example by leaking petroleum into the water supply, discharging toxic vapors into the air, or even triggering fires or explosions, D.P.N.R. said.
“DPNR regulations are designed to protect the public by requiring underground storage tank operators to reduce the likelihood of leaks, monitor for leaks so they can promptly be addressed, and maintain adequate insurance to conduct corrective action and compensate injured third parties when a leak occurs," Mr. Oriol said.
