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News Release

For immediate release
December 14, 2006

IMPERIAL OIL LIMITED FINED $375,000 FOR FUEL LEAK

KINGSTON—Imperial Oil Limited was fined $375,000 today, plus a victim fine surcharge, after pleading guilty to a violation of the Environmental Protection Act (EPA).

One of Imperial Oil Limited’s sale locations is the Odessa Service Station, located at 3745 Highway 401 East in Odessa, Ontario. As part of normal operations, an Inventory Control Record is maintained to track gasoline tank volumes on a daily basis and to identify any variances that might occur.

The Court heard that beginning in February 2003, the Inventory Control Record began showing variances that exceeded the company’s threshold for investigation.

On February 3, 2004 a fuel line leak was discovered at the station, and was reported immediately to the Ministry of the Environment (MOE).

Approximately 62,000 litres of fuel had discharged into the environment, resulting in the contamination of ground water supplying certain homes that were in close proximity to the station.

Following an investigation conducted by the MOE’s Investigations and Enforcement Branch, Imperial Oil Limited was charged.

Imperial Oil Limited pleaded guilty to one count of permitting the discharge of fuel into the natural environment, contrary to section 14(1) of the EPA. The company was fined $375,000 for this offence.

The Court was told that Imperial Oil Limited cooperated with the MOE subsequent to the discovery of the leak, and throughout the investigation.

Justice of the Peace Lorraine Watson sentenced the company on December 14, 2006, in the Ontario Court of Justice in Kingston.

Monitoring of the groundwater continues in the vicinity of the service station, and results indicate that the groundwater quality is improving.

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Contact information for media:
John Steele, (416) 314-6666 Ministry of the Environment
Contact information for the general public: 416-325-4000 or 1-800-565-4923/ www.ene.gov.on.ca