New Philadelphia sues business owner over abandoned fuel tanks
NEW PHILADELPHIA (WJER) (March 19, 2024) – The city is suing the owner of the former Fuel Depot on East High Avenue over underground fuel storage tanks that have remained on the property long after the business closed in 2017.
In the complaint filed last month in Tuscarawas County Common Pleas Court, the city is asking Judge Michael Ernest to compel the property owner to remove the tanks and pay the city at least $105,000 in fines for violating city code.
Law Director Marvin Fete says the city has warned the owners and granted several deadline extensions. He says he doesn’t want to go after somebody financial, but he doesn’t like “when somebody is going to jerk us around and ignore our ordinances.”
“I’m not going to allow that to happen,” he said.
City officials say the tanks still have fuel in them and are not properly closed, endangering the community and the underground water supply.
The business owner was served with the complaint March 6. He has yet to reply in court.