With gasoline prices still hovering in the upper $3 range, consumers appear to be a little more wary about what and how much fuel is being bought.

Now they have a tool at their fingertips that will help them get a better idea about the quality of those fuel purchases.

The Oklahoma Corporation Commission unveiled this week a link on its Web site that documents actions taken against the owners of gasoline stations found to be in noncompliance with state law and regulations.

The violations reported range from the detection of leaks and the lack of corrosion protection to inaccurate metering and water contamination.

Paul Mayer, who commutes to work between Broken Arrow and Muskogee, said he liked the idea of having that type of information readily available.

“I bought a tank of gas the other day where I regularly stop and realized later I wasn’t getting near the gas mileage I usually do,” Mayer said. “So I wondered if there was water in tank or if something else was wrong. “An examination of the notice of violation list shows that gasoline stations in a seven-county area in eastern Oklahoma were cited for nearly 500 violations during the past year.

The pumps at about 330 stations were locked down by Corporation Commission inspectors as a result of continued noncompliance or for violations that posed an immediate threat to the public.

Violation notices were handed out to about 20 retail fuel outlets in Muskogee which were cited during the past year for one type of violation or another. The pumps were locked at a handful of local stations, according to Corporation Commission records.

Commissioner Jim Roth, who announced the agency’s unveiling of the consumer information service earlier this week, said since July 1, 2007, more than 5,000 stations have been cited for a variety of violations. During that same period, Roth said, inspectors locked down pumps at more than 300 stations.

“For the most part, our state gas stations do a great job of staying in compliance with Corporation Commission rules,” Roth said. “But when they do have violations. It is our job to inform the public.”

While persistent violators may not welcome the regular inspections, Oklahoma Corporation Commission spokesman Matt Skinner said most business owners appreciate them.

“I’d say 99 percent of them welcome the inspections,” Skinner said. “It lets them know there is something wrong and gives them a chance to get it fixed.”

Skinner said the violations inspectors look for vary widely in scope and severity. Inspectors respond accordingly.

“There are some things that must be fixed immediately, or the pumps will be locked down,” Skinner said, citing public safety as one of the primary concerns. “Where the violation is less serious, owners are given some time to make the necessary repairs.”

Skinner said consumers who have concerns about fuel that has been purchased — be it pump calibration, octane rating, ethanol content, water in the gas — should notify the Corporation Commission.



What to do

Complaints or concerns about gas station pumps may be conveyed by calling (405) 521-2211 or at the Corporation Commission’s Web site, www.occeweb.com.



Reach D.E. Smoot at 918-684-2903 or Click Here to Send Email