DEM, UST BOARD, ANNOUNCE THAT SOME FINANCIAL RELIEF MAY BE AVAILABLE TO THOSE WHO INCURRED COSTS DUE TO PASCOAG WATER CRISIS

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News Release
RI Department of Environmental Management
235 Promenade St., Providence, RI 02908
(401) 222-2771 TDD/(401) 222-4462

For Release:	December 18, 2001
Contact:	Gail Mastrati 222-4700 ext. 2402 Stephanie Powell 222-4700 ext. 4418 Michaela K. Brockmann, UST Board, 222-4244

DEM, UST BOARD, ANNOUNCE THAT SOME FINANCIAL RELIEF MAY BE AVAILABLE TO THOSE WHO INCURRED COSTS DUE TO PASCOAG WATER CRISIS
UST Board Member Will Be in Pascoag to Help with Claims

PROVIDENCE - The Department of Environmental Management and the state's Underground Storage Tank (UST) Financial Responsibility Fund Review Board have announced that homeowners and others who have incurred costs as a result of the Pascoag water crisis may be eligible for reimbursement from the UST fund.

"Pascoag residents and businesses, through no fault of their own, have been coping for four months with contaminated water that they cannot use for drinking or cooking or for bathing young children," said DEM Director Jan Reitsma. "Some people have taken individual and costly steps to alleviate the situation for instance, by having private wells dug or by installing filter systems in their homes and businesses. Reimbursement of some or all of those costs, while it cannot ease the hardship of the water crisis itself, can at least ease the financial burdens people have faced." The Pascoag Utility District itself, he added, is also eligible for reimbursement of some costs associated with its response to the crisis.

The UST fund, financed by a one-cent-per-gallon tax on gasoline sold to owners and operators of underground storage tanks, can reimburse third-party claims against those responsible for contamination from underground storage tank petroleum leaks. The contamination of the Pascoag Utility District's public water supply from methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), a gasoline additive, is believed to stem from leaking underground tanks at Main Street Mobil, whose owners have filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

"Although third party claims normally are submitted through the responsible party via a final judgement or settlement agreement, the UST review board has determined that because of the unusual situation in Pascoag, the claims can be submitted directly to the board," said board chairman Vincent Mesolella.

For information about filing a claim, contact Thomas Lazieh of the UST board at 568-6222. He will be located at the Pascoag Utility District offices beginning on December 19 to help with the claim application process. Applications must be submitted by January 30 for the March disbursement meeting, or by April 30 for the June disbursement meeting. Claims will be considered in the chronological order of when funds were spent.

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