Nationwide, more than 400,000 leaks from underground tanks have been reported and thousands of properties have been tainted by hazardous fuel spills, according to Environmental Data Resources Inc., a research organization based in Milford, Conn.
Last year, the Government Accountability Office — the investigative arm of Congress — reported it would take at least $12 billion to clean up contamination from tens of thousands of tanks nationwide that are leaking underground.
Linda Young, director of the Clean Water Network of Florida, an environmental advocacy group, said fuel leaks from underground tanks have been common in Florida.
"Some of those have leaked into private wells and drinking water, causing a lot of problems," Young said.
