Pipeline firm to pay fine for spills

Federal officials say Plantation Pipe Line agreed to pay a $725,000 civil penalty for spills of jet fuel and gasoline in Virginia, Georgia and North Carolina.

The Alpharetta-based company also agreed to $1.3 million in new spill prevention safeguards to settle a lawsuit over alleged Clean Water Act violations.

The lawsuit cited failure to have a spill prevention, control and countermeasure plan for a 420,000-gallon oil storage tank at Newington, Va.

Officials said Tuesday that on Jan. 10, 2000, at least 100 barrels of jet fuel leaked from a pipeline in Newington, and some went into Accotink Creek.

Also cited: spills affecting streams in Alexandria, Va., in 2002; Hull in 2003; and Charlotte two years ago.