Underground Storage Tanks

Code of Federal Regulations: The federal regulations concerning underground storage tanks (USTs) are contained in 40 CFR Part 280, 40 CFR Part 281, and 40 CFR Parts 282.50-282.105. The list of hazardous substances is in 40 CFR Part 302.4.

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NOTE: QA documents referred to in some of the following publications may be outdated. Visit The EPA Quality System web site for the latest version of EPA's QA documents.

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UST Notification Form

40 CFR 280.22 ("Notification Requirements") (PDF) (2 pp, 32K) requires that UST system owners must submit this notification form (EPA Form 7530-1) (PDF) (5 pp, 81K) to the state or local agency or department designated to receive such notice. Since publication of these regulations, the form has been periodically modified. Only this most recent version (revised September 2008) should be used.

40 CFR Part 280

• PART 280-TECHNICAL STANDARDS AND CORRECTIVE ACTION REQUIREMENTS FOR OWNERS AND OPERATORS OF UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS (UST)
  
  • Entire 40 CFR 280 (PDF) (71 pp, 454K)
  • Subpart A - 280.10-280.12 (PDF) (6 pp, 46K) - "Program Scope and Interim Prohibition"
  • Subpart B - 280.20-280.22 (PDF) (6 pp, 45K) - "UST Systems: Design, Construction, Installation and Notification"
  • Subpart C - 280.30-280.34 (PDF) (3 pp, 36K) - "General Operating Requirements"
  • Subpart D - 280.40-280.45 (PDF) (6 pp, 54K) - "Release Detection"
  • Subpart E - 280.50-280.53 (PDF) (2 pp, 32K) - "Release Reporting, Investigation, and Confirmation"
  • Subpart F - 280.60-280.67 (PDF) (4 pp, 38K) - "Release Response and Corrective Action for UST Systems Containing Petroleum or Hazardous Substances"
  • Subpart G - 280.70-280.74 (PDF) (2 pp, 32K) - "Out-of-Service UST Systems and Closure"
  • Subpart H - 280.90-280.116 (PDF) (36 pp, 148K) - "Financial Responsibility"
  • Subpart I - 280.200-280.230 (PDF) (13 pp, 255K) - "Lender Liability"
• Preamble to 40 CFR 280
  • Subparts A-G in HTML Format
  • Subpart H in HTML Format (includes part 281)
    
• Industry Codes and Standards (although these are not themselves Federal regulations, compliance with these standard industry codes of practice is mandated)

40 CFR Part 281

• 40 CFR 281 -APPROVAL OF STATE UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANK PROGRAMS
  
  • Entire 40 CFR 281 (PDF) (12 pp, 61K)
  • Subpart A - 281.10-281.12 (PDF) (3 pp, 35K) - "Purpose, General Requirements and Scope"
  • Subpart B - 281.20-281.25 (PDF) (2 pp, 32K) - "Components of a Program Application"
  • Subpart C - 281.30-281.39 (PDF) (5 pp, 41K) - "Criteria for No Less Stringent"
  • Subpart D - 281.40-281.43 (PDF) (2 pp, 31K) - "Adequate Enforcement of Compliance"
  • Subpart E - 281.50-281.52 (PDF) (2 pp, 31K) - "Approval Procedures"
  • Subpart F - 281.60-281.61 (PDF) (2 pp, 32K) - "Withdrawal of Approval of State Programs"
• Preamble to 40 CFR 281
  • 40 CFR 281 in HTML Format

40 CFR Part 282

• PART 282-APPROVED UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANK PROGRAMS
  
  • Entire 40 CFR 282 (7-1-05 edition) (PDF) (73 pp, 243K)
    • Subpart A - 282.10-282.49 (PDF) (2 pp, 34K) - "General Provisions"
    • Subpart B - 282.50-282.105 (PDF) (72 pp, 239K) - "Approved State Programs"

40 CFR Part 302.4

• PART 302-DESIGNATION, REPORTABLE QUANTITIES, AND NOTIFICATION
  This regulation designates under section 102(a) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 ("the Act") those substances in the statutes referred to in section 101(14) of the Act, identifies reportable quantities for these substances, and sets forth the notification requirements for releases of these substances. This regulation also sets forth reportable quantities for hazardous substances designated under section 311(b)(2)(A) of the Clean Water Act. (The table of hazardous substances is in section 302.4.)

Federal Register Notices

Proposed and final federal UST regulations are published in the Federal Register. Unlike the CFR, Federal Register notices contain additional text that explains the rationale behind a proposed or final regulation. This additional text, referred to as the "Preamble," may be very helpful in understanding the regulation.

UST Docket

The Underground Storage Tank (UST) Docket provides public access to information supporting the EPA's regulatory actions on underground storage tanks.

Industry Codes and Standards for UST Systems

Federal UST regulations often require that industry codes and standards be followed (where applicable) to ensure that the UST system works properly.

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