Abandoned gas stations are a problem throughout Michigan, plaguing both rural and urban communities alike. The DEQ has been at the forefront of providing the resources, both regulatory and financial to deal with the problems associated with these abandoned stations.
Some of the many problems found at abandoned gas stations include:
- Leaking underground storage tanks (LUSTs)
- Abandoned drums
- Containers with waste oils or automotive fluids
- Dangerous buildings
- Abandoned vehicles and tires
- Open wells (monitoring wells/water wells)
- Illegal dumping of solid or hazardous wastes
These conditions not only impact the surrounding residents and businesses, they also deter potential investors, and in many cases may act as an attractive nuisance, leading to additional dumping or vagrancy.
The DEQ is working with Wayne County and the City of Detroit to identify eligible abandoned gas station sites for Wayne County's 2007 Petroleum Site Assessment Grant. Additionally, the DEQ's Site Evaluation Unit has conducted three petroleum site assessments since 2006 and is expecting to continue to identify tax reverted properties to conduct future assessments in Detroit, as well as other parts of the state.
The DEQ has performed hundreds of state-funded cleanups at abandoned petroleum sites in Michigan. In addition funding has been utilized from the U.S. EPA Brownfield and USTfield grant programs. Click here to view the Detroit USTfield Assessment project, or here for the Rural Michigan Petroleum Brownfield Assessment project. The most recent brownfield grants received are for cleanup at two former gas stations in Detroit. The DEQ is continuing to work with local units of government on the ultimate redevelopment of these sites. Check a list of sites available here.
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