San Francisco Facing $542 Million in Fines Over Outdated Gas Pumps

Posted by: Curt Varone June 12, 2013 3 Comments

The City of San Francisco is facing $542 million in environmental fines over outdated gas pumps at six fire stations and the municipal yard, according to a lawsuit filed by state environmental regulators. The outdated gas pumps were supposed to have been replaced by April 1, 2009 with systems capable of vapor recovery.

The suit was filed by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District in March of 2012, but was highlighted today in an article appearing in the San Francisco Examiner. The state is looking for fines of $75,000 per day per location.

The vapor recovery pumps are required to help address the smog issue in the bay area. The case is currently pending in San Francisco Superior Court.

More on the story.

About Curt Varone

Curt Varone has over 45 years of fire service experience and 35 as a practicing attorney licensed in both Rhode Island and Maine. His background includes 29 years as a career firefighter in Providence (retiring as a Deputy Assistant Chief), as well as volunteer and paid on call experience. He is the author of two books: Legal Considerations for Fire and Emergency Services, (2006, 2nd ed. 2011, 3rd ed. 2014, 4th ed. 2022) and Fire Officer's Legal Handbook (2007), and is a contributing editor for Firehouse Magazine writing the Fire Law column.
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