Between the installation of new parking lots and building renovations, St. Bonaventure University had a busy summer. Amid all of the new and ongoing projects and the start of the 2019-2020 academic year, there is one on-campus development that shouldn’t go overlooked.
The university recently installed new gasoline tanks outside of the Maintenance/Central Receiving Building.
“The new gas tanks replaced old ones that were actually underground tanks. They didn’t leak but they were well over 25 years old, so it was just time to replace them,” said Jared Smith, associate director of Facilities Operations. “The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) does annual inspections, along with us, to make sure that the tanks don’t leak and all that. They prefer above-ground tanks because if you have a leak, it’s easier to see if there’s a problem.”
Smith said that, ultimately, the school wanted to be proactive rather than reactive when replacing the gas tanks.
“Well, we took care of a problem before it became a problem,” he said.
The new gas tanks hold 2,000 gallons of unleaded fuel and 500 gallons of diesel fuel. They are strictly for the use of the campus’s maintenance vehicles and grounds equipment.
“We don’t sell it. It’s just for facilities and Safety and Security,” Smith said.
The gas tanks were installed by Nature’s Way Environmental, a contractor hired out of Buffalo that works with the New York State DEC. Smith was unsure of the exact price of the project, but noted it exceeded $50,000.
The installation of the new tanks had to be planned far in advance. Smith said that the project was in the works for over a year. He discussed how a major consideration in planning the installation was scheduling. Not only did the university have to find a time that worked for the DEC, but it also wanted to do it during a time that wouldn’t inconvenience everyday life on campus, hence why it was done in the summer.
“The DEC has to inspect all the work, so you have to fit into their schedule. By the time you do that and then go out and find companies and get pricing and all that, the whole process took almost a year,” he said.
Smith said that the removal of the old underground tanks went smoothly. The DEC then inspected and cleared the sight for the installation of the new gas tanks.
As a safety precaution, the new gas tanks are surrounded by brown posts, meant to protect the gas tanks from any type of collision.
“There’s poles, called bollards, surrounding the tanks. That way if somebody’s car went off the road, it stops you from hitting the tanks.”
Smith said that there were no other safety or environmental concerns from the university or the DEC.
Smith discussed the benefits of the new gas tanks for the campus, which include convenience and safety.
“With the newer tanks came newer pumps, so the system works better. Also, God forbid, if there ever was a leak or a problem, you can see it right away. Whereas with the underground tanks, a leak may take a while to find,” said Smith. “Right now, with the new tank, someone would let us know within a few minutes. Sometimes underground you might not know, and that’s why New York State, and rightfully so, would like everybody to, within reason, go away from them.”
Smith said that there were no issues with the project and that it went well. Although it was a lengthy process, he and the facilities staff are happy with the outcome.
“We’re all good now, and we should be good for another 25 years,” said Smith.
By Elizabeth Pantano, Staff Writer
pantanem18@bonaventure.edu
