STERLING — The owner of the Sterling National Country Club has been fined $13,200 by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) for failing to promptly notify MassDEP of a gasoline spill at its golf course on 49 Albright Road in November of 2022.
According to a statement from MassDEP, on the evening of November 15, 2022, an unidentified individual left a hose from an aboveground gas storage tank on the ground, which caused 50 gallons of gasoline to spill onto the golf course overnight. When an employee located the spill the following morning, that employee allegedly failed to notify the country club’s management and/or MassDEP within two hours of discovery, a violation of MassDEP’s proper release notification regulation.
“Owners of storage tanks are responsible for reporting spills to MassDEP within two hours,” said Mary Jude Pigsley, director of the MassDEP Central Regional Office in Worcester. “Training of staff to properly notify reduces the risk of harm to public health, safety, welfare and the environment.”
MassDEP was later informed of the spill by an anonymous caller who stated there was a gasoline spill at the golf course which had gone unreported.
Following the call, MassDEP inspected the property with the Sterling Fire Department and confirmed that a gas spill had – in fact – taken place. Once informed by MassDEP, Sterling National’s management addressed the spill.
In addition to paying the $13,200 penalty, Sterling National agreed to make safety modifications to the gas tank and provide training for its staff regarding proper release notification, MassDEP announced.
