Blackford County Schools Faces $65,000-$80,000 Bill to Remove 32-Year-Old Underground Diesel Tank

From the Blackford County Schools Board meeting on July 21, 2026

Blackford County Schools has a 10,000-gallon underground diesel tank near its bus barn that is 32 years old and no longer commercially insurable, and removing it could cost between $65,000 and $80,000.

The superintendent brought the issue to the board after the district's commercial insurer dropped coverage on the fiberglass tank this year. The tank, located at the fueling station between the bus barn and the new auditorium construction site, still passes annual inspections and is structurally sound, but a diesel spill could cost "hundreds of thousands of dollars" to clean up.

BCS has enrolled in the IDEM's Excess Liability Tank Fund, which requires the district to maintain a $15,000 cash reserve and covers costs above that in a spill. The district uses 2,300 to 2,400 gallons of diesel per month during the school year.

An IDEM program may cover 50 percent of underground tank removal costs, though pre-approval is required. The district's current fuel supplier, Agbest, has offered to provide a 2,000-gallon above-ground replacement tank at no cost if BCS continues buying fuel from them. Alternatively, the district could purchase its own above-ground tank for $18,000 to $20,000. Most area schools have already switched to above-ground tanks.

The removal also complicates a roughly $80,000 paving contract the district signed for the parking lot adjacent to the auditorium construction. The superintendent is exploring whether BCS can exit the paving contract to avoid paving over a tank that will need to be dug up. If the tank is removed, the target would be spring.

The board agreed to move forward methodically — researching the IDEM program and getting full cost estimates before committing.

Source: YouTube transcript — Blackford County - School Board Meeting - July 21, 2026

Some information may be inaccurate due to video audio quality.