DEC Traces Gasoline Odor to Brooklyn Mobil Station

State regulators have identified a Mobil gas station at Coney Island and Guider avenues as a source of a gasoline leak affecting Southern Brooklyn residents.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Oil and Gas

DEC Traces Gasoline Odor to Brooklyn Mobil Station

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The state Department of Environmental Conservation identified a Mobil gas station at Coney Island and Guider avenues as a source of a gasoline leak after residents across Southern Brooklyn reported a persistent gasoline smell for months. DEC issued Bolla EM Realty LLC a notice of violation on Oct. 30 for failing to report the leak.

Why it matters

Residents reported the odor after months of complaints, and the notice alleges the company failed to report the leak, provide records on time, empty the tank system and contain the spill. The investigation shows how multiple city, state and federal agencies were brought together to trace a neighborhood-level environmental concern to a specific source in New York City.

A resident's online reporting tool has logged more than 235 complaints in the past 30 days about the gasoline smell, while DEC issued its notice of violation to Bolla EM Realty LLC on Oct. 30. The count reflects reported complaints rather than verified exposure, and the full extent of the leak remains under review.

The players

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

The state agency responsible for regulating environmental protection and enforcing rules on petroleum storage and leaks across New York.

Inna Vernikov

A New York City Council member whose office received the first resident complaints and brought multiple agencies together to address the odor.

The details

A coordinated investigation involving city, state and federal agencies led to the Mobil station, and DEC staff ensured the leak stopped. The gas station owner did not respond to requests for comment, and FDNY stated there are no concerns about inflammables and nothing has exploded.

First week of September: first resident complaints arrived at Councilwoman Inna Vernikov's office.
About two weeks before Nov. 5: the councilwoman's office convened multiple agencies on the issue.
Oct. 30: DEC issued a notice of violation to Bolla EM Realty LLC.

Industry Context

Underground fuel storage at retail stations is regulated by the DEC, which requires owners to report releases and contain spills under state petroleum storage rules. This Brooklyn case shows how a failure to report can trigger a notice of violation even before the full scope of contamination is known.

Brooklyn residents who notice a persistent gasoline odor can report it through the state and city channels that helped trace this leak. Property owners and neighbors near retail fuel stations may see more regulatory scrutiny of reporting and tank-system compliance.

The takeaway

Persistent odors reported across a neighborhood can point to a specific source that regulators are able to confirm and act on. Residents who notice similar problems should document them and report them to state and city agencies.