BOSTON (AP) – The City of Bangor has agreed to pay a nearly $60,000 fine and convert its fleet of vehicles to clean-burning biodiesel to resolve hazardous waste and clean water complaints by the federal government.

The Environmental Protection Agency said Monday that the agreement calls for the Maine city to pay $165,432 to convert its vehicles to the alternative fuel made in part from soy beans.

The violations were discovered after Bangor opted not to participate in an environmental audit and self-disclosure initiative offered by the EPA in 2001, the agency said.

The settlement resolves the EPA’s claims about alleged violations at four of Bangor’s facilities at the site of the former Dow Air Force Base.

The EPA claimed that Bangor improperly stored, handled and disposed of hazardous wastes, failed to train personnel or have contingency plans at the city’s Public Works Department, motor pool, aviation fuel and airport facilities.

The EPA also claimed that Bangor discharged untreated wastewater from its motor pool into a stream that flows into the Penobscot River. The fine against Bangor totaled $59,586.

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New service provides online driving records

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) – Maine’s Bureau of Motor Vehicles is launching a new service that provides state driving records online.

Public driving records obtained through the new service include three years of driving history. Federal privacy law does not allow the release of some private information, such as drivers’ addresses and Social Security numbers.

The state is charging $7 per report through the online service. That’s about the same or less than the cost of faxed or mailed reports, which are already available, the Secretary of State’s office said.

Those requesting information must provide either the driver license number or name and date of birth of the person whose record is being searched.

The service is being offered through the Secretary of State’s office and Information Resource of Maine, or InforME. The Bureau of Motor Vehicles already offers online drivers’ license renewal and motor vehicle registration services.

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On the Net:

Online drivers record service: http://www.informe.org/bmv/drc/

Also available through www.maine.gov