Underground Storage Tanks

Requirement

Section 1523 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 states that EPA or a state receiving funding under Subtitle I of the Solid Waste Disposal Act shall conduct on-site inspections to determine compliance within two years for all tanks not inspected since December 22, 1998. After completion of these inspections, EPA or a state receiving funding under Subtitle I shall conduct an on-site inspection of each underground storage tank regulated under Subtitle I at least once every three years. EPA may extend the first three-year inspection interval up to one additional year if a state demonstrates it has insufficient resources.

EPA issued two memoranda providing interim guidance regarding the inspections requirements of the Energy Policy Act of 2005:

• The November 17, 2005 memorandum (PDF) (2 pp, 133K, About PDF) encourages states to perform on-site inspections and to focus their inspections on underground storage tanks that have not been inspected since December 22, 1998. It also provides states with the specific criteria needed to perform an on-site inspection until the issuance of the grant guidelines.
• The June 8, 2006 memorandum (PDF) (3 pp, 155K, About PDF) defines the criteria states can use to determine the inspection status of their tanks.

Deadlines

August 8, 2007 - EPA or states receiving funding under Subtitle I must complete inspections of tanks not inspected since December 22, 1998.

August 8, 2010 - Complete first three-year inspection cycle.

Status

On April 24, 2007 EPA issued final inspection grant guidelines (PDF) (15 pp, 537K, About PDF).

For more information

Contact Tim Smith of EPA's Office of Underground Storage Tanks at smith.timr@epa.gov or (703) 603-7158.

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