ONEOK appeals State of Kansas $180,000 fine

HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) _ A natural gas company blamed for a series of deadly natural gas explosions has appealed a $180,000 fine from state regulators. <br><br>Oneok spokesman Weldon Watson said the Tulsa-based

Tuesday, September 3rd 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) _ A natural gas company blamed for a series of deadly natural gas explosions has appealed a $180,000 fine from state regulators.

Oneok spokesman Weldon Watson said the Tulsa-based company needs more time to analyze the administrative order from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

``They gave us a 10- to 15-day period to appeal, and we simply needed more time to find out what KDHE wanted from us,'' Watson said Friday.

The company has said there is no evidence linking the loss of natural gas from an underground storage cavern with the explosions that killed John and Mary Ann Hahn, destroyed two downtown businesses and forced the evacuation of hundreds of people.

But the health department said the only leak ever found in the area occurred at Oneok's storage field. Oneok lost between 140 million and 160 million cubic feet of natural gas in a 10-day period.

The state fined the company in July for 18 violations, each time levying the maximum fine of $10,000.

KDHE spokeswoman Sharon Watson said an appeal administrator will set a hearing date to review Oneok's arguments.

``They could be ordered to pay the fine,'' Sharon Watson said. ``There could be a compromise worked out with a lesser fine if it's determined that KDHE's order was too restrictive. And they can take it on to District Court if their appeal is denied.''

Oneok last month agreed to pay an undisclosed sum to the Hahns' heirs to settle a lawsuit. The family had claimed the companies put profits before safety, took shortcuts, operated at a pressure higher than allowed by law and misled state regulators about problems at the field.

Also named in that lawsuit were two companies Oneok owns _ Kansas Gas Service and Mid-Continent Market Center.