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I received the following from a trustworthy source a few minutes ago-
Is this Washington, DC AAMCO station (1001 Bladensburg Rd NE) dumping transmission fluid down the sewer? At the least, it's spilled all over the ground. The fluid is still on the sidewalk, in a clear path (as if someone rolled a barrel on its edge) from the side gate of the AAMCO station to the sewer.
Thoughts? I called 911 to report this on Friday and provided my phone number, but never received a call from police personnel.
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UPDATE
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I received some information on the situation near the AAMCO where it appeared that oil was dumped into the sewer. The Mr. Young who posted on this site is for real. He is Korean, and English is not his first language. It does not appear that AAMCO dumped anything into the sewer. Here is an excerpt from the email I received "a local salvage hauler with a truck in very poor condition was at there shop looking for waste metal and his truck was parked at that location on the side walk and storm sewer." It is likely that the oil in the catch basin came from this poorly maintained vehicle. The AAMCO station does indeed sell its waste oil. According to the information I received that AAMCO "had approximate[ly] 500 gallons of waste oil recovered by USA Oil Refinery on 2/12/2009 at no cost to them and were paid $.35per gallon for the waste oil. Also, E and M Auto Repair Inc has a waste oil hauling contract with Mid State Oil Recovery, service was last performed by this company on 12/19/2008." When the inspector "checked inside of the storm sewer catch basin at 1001 Bladensburg Road NE" he "found it to be full of bottles and cups and a small amount of oil. The amount of oil was consistent with the amount that would be associated with a catch basin of this type in this location." A clean up at the location is being ordered. DDOE will further look into the possibility of dumping at this location.
UPDATE
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31 comments:
Your best bet may to contact the DC Dept of Health.
http://app.doh.dc.gov/services/administration_offices/environmental/watershed/ieb.shtm
Environmental Health Administration
Watershed Protection Division
Inspection and Enforcement Branch
Contact
Branch Chief: Collin Burrell
Phone Number: (202) 535-2240
Good sleuthing! I think you're right and thanks for saying something. How awful. On a happier note, does anyone know where one might be able to get some corned beef and cabbage tomorrow on H St.? Is Argo whiping up a special E?
I'd talk to the PSA 504 lou. They used to have an excellent environment/dumping investigative team. I don't know if they are still active, but she should know. This is important, keep bugging them about it.
PSA 504 Lt. Judith Anderson 698-0277 (o)506-0902 (c) 504a.psa-LT@dc.gov
That's Terrible! If they are actually dumping oil I hope they get heavily fined. Have you been able to contact anyone regarding this? I'd hate to have this continue. I'm guessing you didn't get a response from 911 since its probably not considered an "emergency" call.
my name is Young, i am a manager at AAMCO TRANSMISSION in washingston DC. i am writing this letter, because i was notitfly that this AAMCO center is dumping used transmission oil in to public swear. frist this statment is totally false. AAMCO TRANSMISSION never dump any oil into any public swear.we have fefining complany that pick up our used oil. our used oil is safty contain in a contaner aproved by EPA, and is store there for fefining truck to pick up. also refining company pay us to take away used oil. we do not throw moneny down the drain. why would AAMCO brake the law when refining complany PAY us to take away used oil it does not make sense. and why AAMCO will make noticalble to public that we are dumping oil to public when it's against the law and we could loose our busnise, for somthing that we get paid for griving it away. i believe someone tensionally did this to give AAMCO bad name, or to shut us down. oil spill is very unnatural. if we were to dump any oil outside there should be a trail, but instead there a spots. we doing are very best to investigate this mater and will resopend back soon as we get more imformation on this matter. if anyone has imformation regarting this matter please contact us at (202) 379-7636....thank you
oh please let that "letter" purportedly from an aamco rep be a prank. that was one of the worst worded attempts at a "defense" that i have ever seen.
As badly as the AAmco Transmissions post is, if it's for real, there is at least one point that Young, or whoever, makes in AAmco's defense, albeit a weak one. Waste oil and transmission fluid is often hauled off by renderers for recycling and other uses. As i understand it, but it has to be clean and separated. It seems like a business like AAmco would have a contract with someone for removal of waste oil products. I'm not sure if the generator is paid for this service or not, because there's still a cost associated with the waste oil removal. In Maryland waste oil and petroleum products are allowed to be burned for heating. So this argument makes sense, the stuff does have some value.
However, there is no such program in DC you can't burn it here for heating. Whatever dude says, it looks like spills that occurred while moving a barrel or something, of waste oil, or perhaps a junker with a lot of leaks that they were working on. If the later is the case they should have a spill, no matter how small, recovery plan and not have left such a mess.
I'm sure the District Department of the Environment will be investigating this and if anything is out of order it will be corrected. Unfortunately, if it was waste oil poured down the storm sewer its probably in the Anacostia by now and can't be recovered. Dumpers have to be caught in the act to really be prosecuted. Sad. It's not a very Riversmart way of disposing of oil. Some people just don't care, don't think their waste will make a difference to the health of rivers and streams and just don't get it.
When dealing with an apparently similar situation at AutoZone, some neighbors had a significantly better response by contacting the responsible agencies and MPD office directly. So, whether the dumping is in progress or not, your source should contact the following about what (s)he observed:
1. MPD's Environmental Crimes Unit ("to report an environmental crime incident contact the Environmental Crimes Unit" at (202) 645-7197), headed by Lt. Lewis Douglas or Sgt. Lou White, who might need some convincing to do something. Last I knew, both of the following investigators were assigned to 1D and 5D:
MPD Officer Valory Walters
DPW Investigator Joan Collins
2. DDOE's Hazardous Waste Division ("For questions, concerns and reporting of hazardous spills, call EMA" at (202) 727-6161).
3. For the fluid tracked onto public space, contact DDOT's Office of Infrastructure Oversight & Investigations--(202) 671-0687. It helps to provide the investigator with the specific regulation that was being violated (contact me directly if you need the regulation).
This kind of dumping is really inexcusable, and should get pretty stiff penalties. I believe AutoZone got fined several thousand dollars at some point for something similar.
Getting enforcement action in DC takes persistence, particularly with environmental hazards. At least up until a few years ago, you basically had do the leg work to put together MPD's case for it before MPD would do much.
Best of luck.
I think you have the right idea Rich, although i thought the Environmental Crimes Unit of the MPD no longer existed. A mulitmedia approach is the only way of approaching this. Meaning several different agencies paying them a visit and inspecting and enforcing whatever laws that they have authority to enforce that are being violated.
This is the approach that is being used for eyesore, non conforming, used car lots throughout town. It can't seem like a arbitrary or capricious thing. Complaints help, whoever has an interest in seeing something done about this should make a complaint to 311.
Of course when they go out of business and your transmission goes up you are SOL for a local repair.
Where are all the green auto repair shops? Does such a thing exist?
I believe that that Environmental Crimes Unit has been disbanded. I'm not familiar enough with the area to say whether AMMCO is the only possible source (a friend thought it was not). I also don't know what might have been dumped (oil?, anti-freeze?). From the photos it does appear that something that shouldn't have gown into the sewer might have gone down there. It looks like further investigation is needed.
Tarisdaddy,
knowing your background you might know more than me, but I imagine that there must be some stations that definitely handle oil properly (as all are required to under the law). Some must have a better reputation than others. Perhaps some stations might be greener in that they offer some other service. If anyone know of one that is "greener", please let us know (and tell us why it is "greener").
Soul Searcher:
Are you really attacking the AAMCO response because of it's poor wording?
You, of all people, being culturally insensitive, after having lectured the rest of us repeatedly on cultural sensitivity?
It sounds very much like a post written by someone who's first language isn't English. If that's the case, which is likely, should we really be mocking that?
Inked:
I'm sure your heart is in the right place but it's a little troubling that this very serious allegation (which has the potential to wreck a business' reputation and put people out of work in the middle of a recession/depression) is being brought forth on your blog without attribution. You may know your 'trustworthy source', but the rest of us don't.
Is this really how we want our ANC reps to be presenting information to the community? Through anonymous sources?
I'm not defending possible illegal dumping. It's illegal and ethically wrong. I'm just saying that posting an unverified allegation by an anonymous source on a blog run by an ANC rep isn't really how we do things in America. Or is it?
After being a DC resident for 26 years....my lifetime, and as a parent I am disappointed in the quality of childcare provided in the DC Metro Region. However, I've found an exceptional center (Catholic Charities Model Cities Child Development Center) on Neal Street NE that is the only accredited childcare center in its ward and has a diverse community of students aging 6 weeks - 4 years old. This daycare has been around for 40 years. And now Catholic Charities and the Archodiocese of Washington DC are trying to close the school and entertain offers from Center City Chater School to obtain the building. The parent board is in motion and we are fighting to keep our center open. If anyone has any thoughts or great leads for media contact. Please Respond!
Hillman,
First (once again), I'm NOT an ANC Commissioner.
Second, I am not alleging that AAMCO did this. I'm saying that some sent the photos to me, the police, some other DC agencies, and a few other parties. The source said the oil appeared to come from the AAMCO Station based on the trail that he saw. From the photos it does appear that something was dumped by someone, and I think it merits further investigation.
Inked:
My apologies. For some reason I thought you were an ANC rep.
But I'm still troubled by posting such volatile info received from anonymous sources, especially since apparently no one has contacted AAMCO to ask their side of the story (and what may be a response from AAMCO on the blog is openly mocked because of what appears to be a limited knowledge of English), and even if untrue it could lead to people losing their business or job.
And the source does matter. Is it someone actively involved in trying to close down businesses like AAMCO? Doesn't make it invalid, but it's something that's useful to know.
Hillman,
I used to be the ANC for 5B08, but I didn't run for re-election. The individual is just a guy I know who is active in the community, but who, as far as I know, doesn't have any beef with AAMCO. He alerted some District agencies, so I'm sure that an investigation will follow and hopefully whoever may have dumped something into the sewer won't do it again.
"That was one of the worst worded attempts at a 'defense' that i have ever seen."
Get thee to the Emerald City. You'll want to see the Wizard about getting you a heart.
I look forward to jumping on any future misspellings, grammatical errors, or colloquialisms like a starving hyena on a vacuum pack of prosciutto.
"I used to be the ANC for 5B08, but I didn't run for re-election. "
On that front I don't blame you. Talk about a thankless job.....
Are you really attacking the AAMCO response because of it's poor wording?
You, of all people, being culturally insensitive, after having lectured the rest of us repeatedly on cultural sensitivity?
It sounds very much like a post written by someone who's first language isn't English. If that's the case, which is likely, should we really be mocking that?
^ ^ ^
1) I don't know anything about the writer from AAMCO, nor can I (or you) assume what his or her first language is.
2) When WRITING in a text format and purporting to defend a business against allegations of CRIMINAL behavior such as illegally dumping chemicals into a sewer, I would expect any businessperson who speaks any language to either (a) carefully word their own defense or (b) get someone else to write their defense, if the defense is made in writing. This is common business practice: if you can't do something well yourself, you hire someone else to do it. Are you assuming that the alleged AAMCO rep also has no knowledge of basic business practices?
Come on now.
I was, in fact, hoping that this purported AAMCO defense was a forgery because any businessperson that responded to serious charges in that fashion would be shamefully unaware of standard business practices when responding to a serious allegation.
lastly, this is why people who are not actually culturally sensitive shouldn't try to portray themselves as such, they often wind up making all sorts of wild assumptions and are poorly trained at spotting discriminatory subtext.
"That was one of the worst worded attempts at a 'defense' that i have ever seen."
Get thee to the Emerald City. You'll want to see the Wizard about getting you a heart.
I look forward to jumping on any future misspellings, grammatical errors, or colloquialisms like a starving hyena on a vacuum pack of prosciutto.
^ ^ ^ in the event that there is any actual hurt feelings or offended sensibility underneath the humor above, i'd like to point out that this thread is full of grammatical errors that I didn't bother to correct and i might even have written a few myself. this isn't about grammar, this is about a businessperson (if that indeed WAS someone from aamco) taking the time to either (a) write a thought out defense him/herself or (b) hire or otherwise recruit someone to write a thought out defense for him/herself.
in my opinion, the defense offered seemed implausible AND seemed to indicate a lack of forethought in its preparation. if someone accuses me of a criminal act, i would carefully consider how i word my response. perhaps you would respond to a criminal allegation in a more improvisational, haphazard manner. if so, kudos to you, we differ on this point.
the language barrier is no excuse, as again, any businessperson can retain the services of attorneys, copy editors, cousins who write well or any other source in order to assist them in writing a defense. it's about taking the allegation seriously enough to approach the defense carefully and with an explanation that is persuasive.
perhaps you found the defense persuasive. i didn't. perhaps you thought it was just fine for a retort to serious charges. i didn't.
i even deleted this message when it was originally posted just because i found one typo in the final paragraph....and im not even defending myself from scurrilous charges.
Me thinks that "AAMCO spokesperson" is the same person that thought that he was funny as a Borat"
Um, I'm no expert on 'discriminatory subtext' like you, but it seems to me that the supposed AAMCO poster got his points across. He was just not very good at writing the English language. He was making perfect sense, just inarticulately.
It's that inarticulateness and his lack of grasp of English that you mocked.
Again, I'm not an expert like you, but I know mocking when I see it.
But since I do know mocking, I'll go ahead and mock your suggestion that a station manager at a transmission shop should and has the economic ability to hire an attorney or copy editor before he posts on a blog.
Talk about your 'discriminatory subtext'.....
Face it. You've lectured us repeatedly on our 'insensitivity' and supposed elitism. Then you go and mock someone because of their limited grasp of the English language.
Being called on it sucks, don't it?
Agreed, Hillman.
Not to mention the fact that Soul Searcher refers to the responder's supposed "shameful" lack of standard business practices as though responding on a freaking blog post is a standard business practice.
The guy has no legal standard to which he is to be held when posting a simple reply to what he feels is inaccurate information.
If anything, the original person posting the suggestion that Aamco is responsible for the spillage has the most to worry about (not that they crossed the line into libel, but that would be the only "standard" that might apply to a blog post).
Hillman wins this debate hands down. Soul searcher comes across as an arrogant elitist hypocrite.
"Hillman wins this debate hands down. Soul searcher comes across as an arrogant elitist hypocrite."
I agree....
Face it. You've lectured us repeatedly on our 'insensitivity' and supposed elitism. Then you go and mock someone because of their limited grasp of the English language.
See, this is what happens when dilletantes like yourself try to wade into the thorny thicket that is "cultural sensitivity."
Leave it to the experts: Folks like SS, whose years of training give them the ability to glean the discriminatory subtexts--authoritatively, exquisitely--and to cleave the insensitive, intolerant clods from plain-speaking folks who are simply willing to speak truth to the powerful (i.e. to tell small buisiness managers to go back where they came from if they can't even speak English.)
You're out of your depth, Hillman
I'm often out of my depth. That's what makes me so much fun at parties.
Or, at least I'm having fun, and that's all that really matters.
Punch and pie.
Does anyone know the results of the investigation, if there was one? We can speculate all day long, but if that business did the dumping then we should take action as a community of interested parties and hold them accountable. However, if AAMCO didn't do the dumping, an apology may be the least we can do.
The strip has three repair shops and loads of DIY/Jack of all trade handy men that work on cars, and multiple used car lots.
I would like to get the results of an investigation. Otherwise this is just an unsubstantiated allegation that has the potential to harm a tax paying business.
-Robby
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