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UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS
Underground storage tanks, or USTs
as they are commonly called, have for many years been used at facilities
to store bulk quantities of liquids for on-site use or for retail storage.
Materials stored in USTs commonly include heating oil and gasoline. USTs
are extremely common, and continue to a preferred means of bulk liquid
storage at properties where aboveground storage vessels are neither
practical or desirable. However, the presence of a UST at a property
represents a potential environmental concern, since the accidental release
of oils or other substances to the subsurface can result in significant
cleanup costs.
In the past decade, many large oil companies have
replaced their USTs at their retail gas stations with newer tanks of
double walled and/or fiberglass construction. However, most smaller tanks
currently still in use for oil storage in residences or
commercial/industrial properties are of single-walled, steel construction,
and many are greater than 20 years in age. Tanks of this type commonly
undergo some degree of deterioration in the subsurface over time, due to
the effects of moisture and corrosion. Small leaks can develop, which may
initially be undetectable on inventory records. In such a case,
significant impacts to the subsurface can occur before any inventory loss
or other evidence of problems are detected. Releases can also occur
through spills during filling or other operational errors. The net result
of a reportable release of any kind is often an investigation and cleanup
of soils and/or groundwater. These efforts can be time-consuming and
expensive, and are usually subject to oversight by regulatory agencies.
The potential for the UST-related scenarios can
create significant liabilities at a site. However, there are certain tools
which are used to assess the potential for release to the subsurface from
a UST. These include:
- Tank tightness tests
- Narrow-diameter (GEOPROBE) boring
investigations in the tank area
- Removal of out-of-use USTs
A Federal EPA deadline, carried down to each of
the state environmental regulatory agencies, has come due, requiring
certain upgrading features such as leak detection, corrosion protection
and secondary containment to be installed in all USTs which fall under a
certain definition of use as defined by the state agency. For instance, in
Pennsylvania, all regulated tanks are subject to ruling and therefore
require the upgrades to be in place. This ruling states that all regulated
tanks not properly upgraded by December 1998 will not be permitted for
future use, and the operation of tanks not meeting the new criteria will
result in significant fines. For this reason, tank owners should refer to
their state UST regulations to see if their tanks fall within the
qualifying criteria; if so, upgrading should be installed as soon as
possible. If tanks are out of use, they should be removed from service to
avoid regulatory penalties, as well as the real estate liabilities
associated with them.
For more information regarding USTs, click on the
following:
Understanding
the Need for Biofeasibility Studies
Pennsylvania Amends Storage
Tank Program ASTs Regulated for the First Time; USTs Also Affected
Remediation - Petroleum
Release Sites - Project Profiles
RT Innovator in Tank
and Remediation Projects
Do you have
questions on Underground Storage Tanks?
Please call Justin Lauterbach at (856) 467-2276 for more information or
questions regarding Underground Storage Tanks, or use the Request for Services
form to obtain a proposal within 24 Hours.
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