The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (“TDEC”) issued an August 10th Proposed Order and Assessment (“Order”) to Mapco Express, LLC (“Mapco”). See Case # FED26-0016.
The Order provides that Mapco is the registered owner of three underground storage tank (“UST”) systems located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
Mapco is stated to have notified the TDEC Division of Underground Storage Tanks (“Division”) on October 16, 2025, of a suspected release. The report indicated that during annual testing, a pinhole type leak was discovered in the flex piping on the premium grade tank past the point of entry to the containment sump. The piping is stated to have been taken out of service pending completion of repair and sump testing would be completed. If the integrity test failed, Mapco stated that they would permanently close the piping run including the chase piping and all associated sumps.
The Division is stated to have received a Permanent Closure Application dated March 17, 2026, related to the three product lines located at the facility. The three product lines are piping associated with tank 1A, piping associated with tank 2A, and piping associated with tank 3A.
A Permanent Closure Application – Approved was issued by the Division on April 13, 2026.
Division staff are stated to have observed and noted on April 22 during piping closure activities, that the premium piping associated with tank 2A appeared to have blown out in the submersible turbine pump sump at the connection point. Further, on April 23, free product was discovered during a piping closure sampling event and was also reported to the Division.
Mapco on April 27, informed the Division that the piping closure was being performed in response to a testing company’s findings that the piping was “suspect” and the breaker was shut down to close the piping temporarily. Mapco on May 1 provided the Division with passing line tightness testing dated January 14, for regular piping associated with tank 1A and January 20, for diesel piping associated with tank 3A.
The Division received an Application for Fund Eligibility from Mapco on April 27 for the April 23 discovery of free product at the facility during piping closure activities. The Order provides that evidence of the suspected release was discovered as early as October 15, 2025, when a pinhole leak was observed in the premium piping and reported to the Division.
Division personnel are stated to have conducted a compliance inspection at the facility on April 29.
Division personnel determined that this facility did not meet the requirements for reimbursement for the release due to a failure to submit the application for fund eligibility within ninety days of a suspected release. As a result, the Application for Fund Eligibility for the October 15 release was denied.
The Order requires that Mapco perform release investigation and remediation activities within the provided timeframes.
The Order provides certain appeal rights.
A copy of the Order can be found here.
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