Santa Rosa considers tougher standards for underground storage tank construction

Rather than back off its decision to allow a new service station to place gasoline storage tanks underground within the East Milton Area Wellfield Protection District, Santa Rosa commissioners are considering requiring existing stations to meet RaceTrac standards.

Commissioners were admittedly wowed by a February presentation from JTS Capital Services LLC, a company that had successfully requested a zoning variance that would allow it to install the tanks and build a RaceTrac service station on State Road 87 adjacent to the Northwest Florida Industrial Park at I-10.

Company representatives provided detailed information about the precautions they would take to prevent any gasoline from being introduced into ground water at the site. Those included storing the gasoline in double walled tanks wrapped in an impervious liner that would provide a third line of defense against leaking.

The tanks were also to be fitted with containment equipment to prevent spillage, computerized monitoring devices to warn of problems and observation wells to allow company officials to sample ground water directly beneath the tank.

"This is a demonstration of a standard of excellence to me," Commissioner Kerry Smith, who represents East Milton, said following the lengthy presentation.

More: Santa Rosa commissioners allow new underground gasoline storage tanks in wellfield protection zone

Before the 3-2 vote to allow the underground tanks, Commissioner Colten Wright opined that he was going to be "roasted" for siding with Smith and Commissioner James Calkins in favor of the variance. His words have proven prophetic as residents, particularly those living in Wright's South Santa Rosa District, have been vocal in expressing their opposition to the board action.

"Commissioner Wright always says he's not a doomsday person − in this particular case − I wish he would have erred on the side of caution," Elizabeth Pavelick, representing Save Our Soundside, said following the original vote.

The East Milton Area Wellfield Protection District was established between 2010 and 2013 to secure an area bounded by U.S. 90 and State Road 87. The Fairpoint Regional Utility System and East Milton Water System operate approximately 12 wells within the area from which they draw water from the Sand and Gravel Aquifer.

Fairpoint Regional Utility supplies water to systems in Gulf Breeze, Navarre and Midway, portions of which lie in Wright's commission district. The Fairpoint wells alone serve an estimated 91,000 county residents.

The wells within the designated protection zone pull water from the Sand and Gravel Aquifer. At a 2022 meeting, hydrogeologist Gary Eichler addressed commissioners on behalf of Fairpoint Regional and described the aquifer as "very vulnerable."

Commissioner Wright wants updated standards

Wright said at Monday's Committee of the Whole meeting that having seen the extent to which JTS Capital Services had been willing to go to protect the county's ground water, that maybe the county should consider incorporating similar requirements across the board.

"This is an opportunity to require the same standards we've asked RaceTrac to meet," he said. "We can find a way to make that a standard, specifically in the Wellfield Protection Area."

Wright said not only could the county amend its ordinances to require future developers to provide the same protections for groundwater as JTS Capital Services, commissioners could even go so far as to require the three gas stations already operating within the Wellfield Protection Zone to meet the new standard.

This could be accomplished, Wright said, at a time when old tanks are replaced or the businesses are passed on to new owners. The county could even require the existing service stations to replace old storage tanks with new, highly secure ones.

Santa Rosa County Attorney Tom Dannheisser confirmed that three gas stations operating now within the Wellfield Protection Zone could be required to replace their existing underground storage tanks, so long as the owners of the stations were given a sufficient amount of time to set aside funds for the retrofit.

The board did not take any action following its discussion Monday. The topic of amending the existing ordinances regarding underground tank installation will be addressed again at its regular meeting Thursday.

Providing the variance for the new RaceTrac had offered commissioners "an opportunity to provide different, additional protections for our resources," Wright said.

"We could have not even taken that variance under consideration and they (the county's wells) are at risk already," he said. "They're at risk from existing facilities and they're at risk for things that happen daily that the county has no control over."

In support of Wright's arguments, Smith pointed out that Interstate 10 runs through the Wellfield Protection District and rail lines carry trains across it as well.

"We can't control the rail lines that are tanking, I don't even know how much, hazardous waste containers across the Wellfield Protection Area," he said. "And we have an interstate and Highway 87. Who ever gets out and counts all the tankers and the hazardous materials going up and down the highway?"

Commissioner Ray Eddington remained opposed to the idea of adding new gasoline tanks within the Wellfield Protection Area and Pavelick was not swayed in her opposition to the new RaceTrack by the arguments in favor of amending county ordinances to create tighter controls over the installation of underground tanks.

"If he (Wright) was so concerned about this prior to his vote on the RaceTrac variance, why didn't he mention any future protections at that meeting?" she asked. "Personally, to me, he is closing the stable door after the horse has bolted."

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Santa Rosa looks to secure clean water in its Wellfield Protection District