CITYWIDE — Gas stations closed for business around Santa Monica may or may not open again, depending on arrangements owners have made to comply with state laws regarding vapor emissions.
A series of mandated technological upgrades aimed at reducing more than 170 tons of gas vapor emissions per day in California is approaching a Sept. 1 deadline, by which time some local gas station owners are expected to adjust to the requirements — and some of them will choose instead to close up shop.
By Sept. 1, gas stations are expected to begin operating improved systems that will detect a leak in gas hoses. If the leak is not fixed, the upgraded gas pumps are designed to shut down until they are serviced.
The deadline follows an earlier requirement, in April, when gas station owners were expected to upgrade their storage tanks.
The law requiring the multi-phase upgrades was enacted in April 2001. Compliance with all upgrades, some of which have not yet hit their deadlines, will be required by 2008, said Carol Coy, deputy executive officer with the Air Quality Management District, which is overseeing the regulations put into place throughout more than 3,400 retail service gas stations in the Los Angeles metropolitan area.
Upgrading 12 nozzles at the average gas station will cost between $16,000 and $26,000. The earlier upgrades to the storage tanks cost $5,000 each. The average gas station has three storage tanks, Coy said.
Upgrading each operation takes one to three business days once works begins. During that time, stations are typically closed to the public.
Coy said that some smaller, independent gas station owners saw the requirements coming and have opted to get out of the business.
Other stations have arrangements by which the upgrades are being funded by the oil companies whose gas they sell.
Such is the case with the owner of the station on Santa Monica Boulevard and 14th Street. “Luckily, Chevron is paying for it,” he said. “Otherwise, it’s too much.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 24, 2005. Read the original PDF.