A state audit released Friday, April 15 found there are gaps in the state's inspections of storage tanks.
The report looked at data across a two-and-a-half-year span. It reviewed the state’s storage tank inspection efforts, the accuracy of its data, and the security of its data management system. One finding in the report shows about a quarter of regulated tanks storing flammable and hazardous liquids were overdue for a state inspection.
Nicholas Occhipinti is worried about that. He's the government affairs director for the Michigan League of Conservation Voters.
“Over time if the tanks are missed or they’re not properly inspected, they absolutely can leak," Occhipinti said. "Or, in a rare occurrence, there could be an emergency moment explosion or some kind of major leak that then creates a contaminated site.”
The audit also found issues with delayed re-inspections at storage facilities where violations had been found.
Michigan State Fire Marshal Kevin Sehlmeyer says part of the inspection backlog is due to staff retirements and the time it takes to train replacements.
"We’re working to address that backlog to get us back on that cadence where its every three years, but we have not had... even some of the... if you want to say the leaks that have occurred in the last few years, those facilities were current at the time," Sehlmeyer said.
State regulators say they've already addressed a chunk of the backlog and are training new staff to get back on track.