Scrap Metal Dealer Agrees To Repay Port

An evicted scrap metal company has agreed to pay the Port of Tampa (Fla.) $430,000 in back rent and fees during the next 12 months.

In return, the company's owner will get his site at the port back next month.

Hillsborough County Circuit Judge Gregory Holder signed a settlement agreement Sept. 17, between the port and Winner Metals of Florida that outlines the payments. Winner was evicted from the port in May after accumulating the debt.

As part of the agreement, the company must conduct a full environmental assessment to determine any soil or groundwater damage at the site.

The Hillsborough County Environmental Protection Commission fined Winner almost $4,000 in March for burning an open flame and not monitoring emissions. And the company didn't have a water truck to control dust.

Winner also had a metal shredder leaking hydraulic fluid that prompted the EPC to ask Winner to undertake a full site assessment to determine the extent of soil and groundwater contamination.

The company never completed the assessment, though Dave Parsche, the port's manager of environmental affairs, said he doesn't believe the contamination is extensive.

``They are not responding to us,'' said Rick Tschantz, the EPC's attorney. The EPC plans to sue Winner to recoup the fine, Tschantz said.

The settlement is the second agreement the port has reached with Winner. The two sides negotiated a deal in December for the debt, but the company didn't meet the terms and was evicted.

Under the new settlement, the port will re-lease almost 9 acres to another company owned by Stanley Tseng, the Virginia businessman who owns Winner Metals. The company is called Export Metals LLC.

Tseng didn't return phone messages Tuesday from his office in Virginia Beach, Va.

Joe Diaz, chairman of the Tampa Port Authority, said the port decided to re-lease the facility to Tseng so he could generate cash flow to pay the debt.

``It's a good settlement,'' Diaz said.

Port attorney Dale Bohner said Tseng told him he negotiated financial backing that will allow him to make good on the lease and the debt. Bohner said the port received a $209,000 payment from Tseng.

``He said he can pay,'' Bohner said. ``I'll take that at face value.''

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Winner is the second scrap metal dealer to give the port problems. Max M. Zalkin, owner of Tampa Export Co., was evicted by the port two years ago owing the facility $276,000 in back rent and fees.

Zalkin also caused more than $1 million worth of environmental damage at the port, possibly contaminating groundwater.

Zalkin, who declared bankruptcy, isn't paying for the cleanup. Tampa Tribune