STORY TOOLS

• E-mail story
• iPod friendly
• Printer friendly

Tell us about it

• What would you add to this story? Tell us what we missed.
• Do you have photos from this event? Documents we need to see? Share with us.
• Upload photos & videos
• More ways to get your stuff online and in the paper.

More Latest News

• Collier schools summer bus schedules announced
• Report: UCF players tell of intense workout, coach cursing before Plancher's death
• Traffic enforcement locations for Collier, Lee

Share and Enjoy [?]

After two years, boaters wanting to fuel up at Caxambas Park on Marco Island before heading out to a day of fun will finally get to do so by the end of the month.

The long awaited installation of a new fuel tank at the county park recently got under way on Marco Island and kept the park closed to boaters on weekdays. Boaters who still wanted to get on the water during construction were routed to the nearby Collier Boulevard boat ramp north of Marco Island.

“We wanted it to happen for quite a while,” said Collier County Commissioner Donna Fiala, whose district includes Marco Island. “It’s important to get the park functioning again. It’s really a haven for boaters.”

Camden Smith, a spokeswoman for the county parks and recreation department, said the project was originally scheduled for completionbarring any unforeseen delays.

However, nature delayed the contractor’s installation of the fuel lines connecting the tank and the pumps last week.

“While we were digging the contractor ran into a massive boulder,” said Smith, adding that the delay would not affect boater wanting to launch their boats at the park over the weekend. “We are working very had to complete the project and are anticipating a that it will be few more days.”

The park’s old fiberglass tank ruptured in September 2005, due to storm surge from Hurricane Rita.

It was originally estimated that the 9,600 gallons in the tank spilled into Caxambas Pass, said Elijah Fleishauer, a spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Protection,

Documents filed with the state show that Mactec, the engineering and consulting firm that was hired to oversee the cleanup, removed 22,203 gallons of petroleum contact water from the old underground storage tank at the park and the surrounding area.

A total of 9,150 gallons of fuel were recovered.

“They’ve done a good job since then, maintaining and monitoring,” said Fleishauer.

County parks and rec spent $35,000 on an environmental assessment report of the spill to determine whether more cleanup was needed, and another $200,000 to install the new tank and new fuel lines to the refueling pump at the park’s boat launch.

An additional $40,000 was set aside by the Collier County Commission for a remedial action plan that was requested by state officials.

All of the money came from parks and rec’s boating reserves fund.

In order to avoid polluting the ground and waterway in case another fuel spill occurs, the park’s new 10,000-gallon stainless steel fuel tank will be housed in a structure northwest of the concession stand.

“We don’t plan on another leak,” said Smith. “However, just as a precautionary measure we felt moving the tank from the water would be better.”

Smith added that the tank, being installed by Mactec and subcontractor Petroleum Management Inc., will house 5,000 gallons of diesel and 5,000 gallons of regular fuel.

Diesel fuel wasn’t available at the park before.

All that’s left now is for the double encased fuel line to be pressure tested, sealed and pass fire inspection, Smith said.

“In the meantime the park remains open,” she said.

For more information on the project call (239) 642-0004 or (239) 254-4000.