Pennsylvania Gov. Edward Rendell vetoed a measure on July 11 that would have expanded the state´s underground storage tank remediation program, saying it would have been too expensive and would have produced little benefit to environmental quality.

Gov. Rendell vetoed House Bill 1195, saying it could result in substantial fee increases for service stations.

"Given the limited funds in the [Underground Storage Tank Indemnification Fund], the expansion as provided for in House Bill 1195 may cause a backlog in remediation of truly hazardous tanks," Rendell said.

The existing law appropriately targets limited state resources to underground storage tanks that pose environmental hazards in communities, he said. However, the proposal would have expanded the program to provide funding for the removal of additional underground storage tanks.

In addition, the bill removed the word "underground" from a section of the act, which could result in the program funding the removal of aboveground heating oil storage tanks, Rendell said.

"The expansive new language will mean that those paying the fees to the underground tank fund could now be supporting efforts to remediate aboveground tanks that currently are not regulated, and whose owners are not contributing fees to the fund," Rendell said.

The change would have required the creation of an entirely new program and a need for additional financing, the governor said.

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