Attorney General's News Release

November 23, 2005

Former, current owners of closed gas station site in Oran to clean up contamination from underground storage tanks

Benton, Mo. — The former and current owners of a closed gas station site in Oran will pay for and carry out a plan to ensure that petroleum contamination from underground storage tanks is assessed and cleaned up.

Attorney General Jay Nixon filed a lawsuit in February 2003 against current site owners Ronnie and Sandra Diebold and former owner Marilyn Diebold to require them to remediate the site, which is located at 214 Ada St.

Under the consent judgment, entered today in Scott County Circuit Court, the defendants will determine the extent of any contamination and then undertake and complete a plan approved by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources for the site cleanup. The Diebolds will be required to continue remediation activity until the DNR determines no other action is needed.

The defendants also will pay a penalty of $6,000 to the state of Missouri for their failure to comply with the Missouri Underground and Petroleum Storage Tank Law. An additional $6,000 penalty has been suspended, pending the defendants' compliance with the terms of the court order.

Inquiries from consumers should be directed to consumer@ago.mo.gov or 1-800-392-8222 (from within Missouri) or 573-751-3321 (outside Missouri).

All media inquiries should be directed to Press Secretary John Fougere.

E-mail      Phone: 573-751-8844         Fax: 573-751-5818