MEADVILLE – The Department of Environmental Protection has rescinded Gehm’s Vittle Village’s permit to operate underground storage tanks and ordered the facility in Clearfield Township, Butler County, to empty the tanks or perform leak detection testing within 15 days.
“Gehm’s Vittle Village has a three-and-a-half year history of noncompliance, repeatedly ignoring regulations that were established to protect the environment and human health,” DEP Northwest Regional Director Kelly Burch said. “Before the company operates its underground tanks again, it must come into compliance with regulations that every other similar business in Pennsylvania must follow.”
The permit may be reinstated only after DEP approves leak detection test results and Gehm’s Vittle Village exhibits compliance with the Storage Tank Act and regulations.
Monitoring underground storage tanks through inspections and testing confirms there is no leak to groundwater that could impact drinking wells of nearby homes or businesses. The company’s violations include consistent failure to perform pipe and tank integrity and release detection requirements.