Tougher Rules for Underground Storage Tanks

Hundreds of thousands of facilities across the US with underground storage tank (UST) will now face tougher requirements that the EPA says will improve prevention and detection of petroleum releases from USTs — one of the leading sources of groundwater contamination.

Both marketers and nonretail facilities own USTs. Marketers include retail facilities such as gas stations and convenience stores that sell petroleum products. Nonretail facilities include those that do not sell petroleum products, but may rely on their own supply of gasoline or diesel for taxis, buses, limousines, trucks, vans, boats, heavy equipment, or a wide range of other vehicles.

The revised requirements include:

• adding secondary containment requirements for new and replaced tanks and piping;
• adding operator training requirements;
• adding periodic operation and maintenance requirements for UST systems; removing past deferrals for emergency generator tanks, airport hydrant systems, and field-constructed tanks;
• adding new release prevention and detection technologies;
• updating codes of practice; and
• updating state program approval requirements to incorporate these new changes.

States and territories primarily implement the UST program. Many states already have some of these new requirements in place. For others, these changes will set standards that are more protective.

Last year Ryder Truck Rental agreed to pay a $22,500 penalty to settle alleged violations UST regulations at a company facility in Wilmington, Delaware.

Photo Credit: underground storage tank via Shutterstock