Underground FEMA fuel tanks could leak
Wednesday, August 13th, 2008The government owns hundreds of underground fuel tanks, several in Michigan, that need to be inspected for leaks of hazardous substances that could make local water undrinkable.
Many of the tanks were designed for emergencies back in the Cold War.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has known since at least the 1990s that tanks under its supervision around the country could be leaking fuel into soil and groundwater, according to Associated Press interviews and research.
The agency knows of at least 150 underground tanks that must be inspected for leaks, says spokeswoman Debbie Wing. FEMA also is trying to determine by September whether an additional 124 tanks are underground or above ground and whether they are leaking.