WINSLOW, Ark. — Thousands of cars travel through the Bobby Hopper Tunnel every day, and as they drive through, they're driving over underground fuel tanks used by the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT).
A report issued by the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) on Sept. 21, 2023, shows a list of failures related to the inspection of those fuel tanks.
ARDOT spokesperson Dave Parker tells 5NEWS the tunnel is structurally sound and the fuel tanks are in good shape. He says the concerns listed in the report are directly related to how ARDOT inspects the tanks.
“They've apparently changed, and are now requiring us— or anyone who has underground fuel storage facilities— to have more of a detailed automated process when it comes to inspecting those tanks to make sure they're not leaking,” Parker said.
Parker says ARDOT regularly inspects the tanks, and there is no evidence of leaks.
“We just need to change the way that we're inspecting things. We're in the process of doing that,” Parker said.
ARDOT has hired a consultant to help get back into compliance. Parker says he believes the new process will be more in-depth.
“We're hiring a team to come in on those days [to inspect the tanks], so the responsibility will be on the team to come there versus us having to remember,” Parker said. "They may require us to do 20 things versus 12 different things.”
He adds that while the tanks at the Bobby Hopper Tunnel are currently in good shape, these inspections are very important.
“Over time, those tanks can corrode and become weaker, and do have the potential for leaks that go into the ground, and eventually into the water system, which would not be a good thing. Those places that have those storage facilities have to go through regular inspections. We’re well aware of that, we want to comply with that,” Parker said.
The ADEQ report says a follow-up inspection is pending.
5NEWS reached out to ADEQ, but has not heard back.
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