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Federal judge OKs $380K for materials, preparation for fuel storage tank repair
U.S. District Court for the NMI designated Judge David O. Carter approved Monday the U.S. government’s request for a task order relating to the repair of the Commonwealth Utilities Corp.’s Tank 103, an aboveground storage tank that stores diesel for electric power production at CUC’s power plants 1 and 2 in Lower Base.
Carter also authorized the Engineering and Environmental Management Company’s use of up to $380,000 in court registry funds for the task order’s procurement activities.
Carter said task order 6 would permit the early procurement of Tank 103 repair materials and other preparation to allow for the repair of the tank in 2017.
Senior attorney Bradley R. O’Brien of the U.S. Department of Justice Environmental Enforcement Section, who is also counsel for the U.S. government, made the request for the court’s approval.
O’Brien said CUC and the CNMI government support the request.
O’Brien said American Petroleum Institute Standard 653 inspections were successfully conducted and determined that Tank 103 had significant structural deficiencies that must be repaired prior to returning the tank to service.
The lawyer noted that the parties in the case agree that the Tank 103 repair is a high priority project and should be completed in 2017.
Anticipating grant funding in 2017, the parties reached a tentative agreement on the scope of the Tank 103 repair.
“This repair will include installing a new tank bottom, roof and vent repairs, tank coating, corrosion pit repairs, gauging upgrades, pressure relief, and piping upgrades,” O’Brien said.
