07/02/09

More than ten years ago, the site of a Twin Falls gas station was abandoned because gasoline leaked into the soil nearby; and now that may be a problem.

A dozen years ago, the old 'Super Quik' gas station in the 400 block of Washington Street North was torn down, after it was discovered that the underground gasoline tanks had leaked fuel.

Dissolved gasoline was found in nearby well water in the mid 1980's. Much of the contaminated soil was hauled away; however, now the new owner of the site wants Twin Falls County to help pay for some additional cleanup at the site.

According to the property’s current owner, Brian Hansen, “When we found that the gas was sitting on top of that water two inches deep, it was a whole another scenario. So I'm really in a bad position on trying to clean that up now.”

Hansen says that gasoline was found at the bottom of the test holes drilled on the property. He says when he bought the property last December, he wasn't aware of the easement related to widening this section of Washington Street North. Hansen says the easement requires him to share street entrances with the houses on either side of the location.

In the 1990's, the lot was owned by a Los Angeles developer who split the cost of an estimated $100,000 settlement back then, with several of the previous owners.

Twin Falls County Prosecuting Attorney Grant Loebs says the county will need to research the legal background related to the former 'Super Quik' gas station site, before deciding what to do.