D.A. FILES SUIT AGAINST 7-ELEVEN vs

THE MONTEREY COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY DEAN D. FLIPPO ANNOUNCED THAT A CIVIL ENFORCEMENT ACTION CHARGING 7-ELEVEN INCORPORATED ( A TEXAS CORPORATION) WITH VIOLATIONS OF CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS, WAS FILED IN THE MONTEREY COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT. THE CASE IS BASED ON THE COLLABORATIVE WORK OF THE CALIFORNIA ATTORNEY GENERAL , AND THE D.A. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION UNITS OF MONTEREY AND SAN JOAQUIN COUNTIES. THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED IN MONTEREY COUNTY WHERE AN EXPLOSION OCCURRED ON NOVEMBER 25TH OF 2002, AT THE CITGO STATION ON CANYON DEL REY IN DEL REY OAKS. THAT EXPLOSION LEAD TO AN INVESTIGATION OF 7-ELEVEN'S HANDLING OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS. THIS MONTEREY INVESTIGATION WAS LATER LINKED WITH ANOTHER IN SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY AND THE CALIFORNIA ATTORNEY GENERAL, REGARDING 7-ELEVEN'S STATE-WIDE PRACTICES. THE COMPLAINT ALLEGES THAT 7-ELEVEN, WHICH OWNS AND OPERATES ITS CITGO GAS STATIONS IN CONNECTION WITH ITS CONVENIENCE STORES, VIOLATED NUMEROUS PROVISIONS OF THE CALIFORNIA HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE.