City cleans up contaminated Toney Petroleum site

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - A contaminated site that sits along US 41 in Terre Haute faces demolition.

Along US 41 located on the Northwest corner of Indiana State University's campus, drivers can find a vacant building.

The former Toney Petroleum Inc. was first condemned back in 2007.

Pat Martin, Terre Haute Chief Planner says it's not the most welcoming view.

"Going by, looking a it thinking, this is typical of Terre Haute, but it’s not typical of Terre Haute. So therefore we would love to get rid of it in an eye sore aspect,” said Martin.

Tuesday, Martin asked Vigo County Commissioners to transfer the site to the city, to remove the property from a pending tax sale.

"The ownership is important for us because of grants funds, potential grant funds that we can get for demolition for the facility it's self,” said Martin.

Martin says, the city plans to tear down the property, eventually making it into a parking lot for Indiana State University because that's the only thing the property can be turned into due to chemical hazards.

"The building is highly contaminated as in terms as to what was in there. We sense taken that out but contamination is still presents. It's a nuisance, an eye sore,” said Martin.

Martin says outside they found tanks filled with petroleum, below groundwater with sixteen percent diesel fuel and inside hazardous chemicals.

But come March 2012, Martin says he hopes to change all that.

"City would require the property, the city would do the demolition, do the clean up off the property and then eventually sell the property or convey the property to Indiana State University,” said Martin.

The cities already spent more than $40,000 to clean up the site but Martin says they city has a long way to go before the project is complete.

When the city finally owns the property, they can start to work with the U.S. EPA and IDEM to receive funding to complete the clean up process.