Key facts
- Gas stations promoted by Donald Trump in New Jersey have faced numerous environmental violations and penalties.
- Since 2022, 196 violations of state regulations were recorded.
- One station was fined $50,000 for ignoring a delivery ban and cutting seals to accept fuel.
- Some stations were temporarily banned from receiving fuel deliveries due to issues like unregistered storage tanks and permit violations.
- The New Jersey Attorney General's Office is also investigating the Freedom Fuel Network for compliance.
Gas stations promoted by Donald Trump in New Jersey have accumulated significant environmental penalties, with regulators citing repeated failures to comply with state laws and previous enforcement actions. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) detailed 196 violations since 2022, with some problems deemed "major."
Among the most severe actions, a station in Atlantic County was banned from receiving gas deliveries in 2023 because its storage tank was unregistered and required repairs. The station defied this ban by cutting the seals on its delivery ports and accepting fuel, leading to a $50,000 penalty. Another station in Atlantic County received a similar $50,000 fine for ignoring a delivery ban that same year; both bans were later lifted.
More recent issues include two stations in the Freedom Fuel network being barred from accepting fuel for a week in June due to tank registration problems. Even after Trump mentioned Freedom Fuel on social media in July, some stations continued to face compliance issues. A station in Camden County experienced a brief fuel delivery ban on July 9, which was lifted the following day. Separately, a station in Burlington County was found operating without a valid air permit on July 8.
As of Thursday, the penalty from the May order had not been paid. The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office also confirmed in July that it is investigating the Freedom Fuel Network to ensure compliance with state law, which includes prohibitions against selling gas below cost.