By AP/KWMU
Hartford, Ill. – Federal, state and oil company officials met Thursday night with about 40 people in in Hartford, Ill, to explain how they're dealing with vapors from a huge gasoline lake under the village.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says it has scheduled assessments for 18 houses. Fans and vapor barriers will be installed in the next few weeks.
Residents have reported fumes from the pool for more than 30 years. And the state of Illinois detected dangerous levels of several hydrocarbons in some basements two years ago. Then, two months ago, property owners sued two months ago to seek money from the oil companies Premcor and Apex for the diminished value of their property.