August 18, 2005

The Department of Environmental Quality announced today that an Administrative Order by Consent was reached with Environmental Management and Engineering Services, Inc., resolving an administrative action brought against the company alleging rules violations related to their Qualified Underground Storage Tank Consultant (QC) certification.

The settlement suspends EMES’s certification to perform work as a QC for a period of one year beginning August 1, 2005, followed by a two-year probationary period. In addition, EMES has agreed to pay a penalty of $50,000 which will be deposited into the State of Michigan’s Environmental Response Fund, and used by the DEQ to clean up sites of environmental contamination across Michigan.

Under Michigan law, owners and operators of regulated underground storage tanks which have leaked must hire a QC. QCs are responsible for conducting cleanups on behalf of owners and/or operators in compliance with the Leaking Underground Storage Tank Cleanup Program under state law.

The alleged violations by EMES are related to their work at five businesses. In the DEQ’s September 13, 2002, action, it was alleged that EMES violated state law by failing to conduct environmental cleanups in a way that protects public health, safety, and welfare, and the environment; and for submitting information to the state which EMES should have known was incorrect and/or misleading.

Editor’s note: DEQ news releases are available on the department’s Internet home page at www.michigan.gov/deq.

“Protecting Michigan’s Environment, Ensuring Michigan’s Future”

Revised August 18, 2005 by Linda Brauker on behalf of Pat Watson