Contacts
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Storage Tanks
General Information
- Aboveground Storage Tanks (AST)
- LANL has created a Comprehensive Tank Survey Program to ensure that all aboveground storage tanks at LANL are in compliance with the Federal Oil Prevention Act, NMED AST Program, and spill prevention control and countermeasures (SPCC) plans. The Federal Oil Prevention Act requires that all aboveground storage tanks have a capacity of 1,320 gallons or more and will not potentially leak oil or any other such substance.
- The Comprehensive Tank Survey Program allows the water quality personnel to store information on all storage tanks on LANL property, such as physical characteristics and potential pollutant release into the environment. With this information, team members can complete NMED AST Program registration and SPCC plans.
- Septic Tank Oversight Program
- According to the NMED, “household septic tanks and cesspools constitute the single largest source of ground water contamination in the State." To alleviate this pollution, ENV-RCRA, in compliance with the NMED Liquid Waste Disposal Program, is responsible for requesting septic tank permits and creating and maintaining septic tank designs and installation.
- The Septic Tank Oversight Program was developed to meet the environmental compliance needs of the NMED, LANL, and DOE for the ownership, operation, and maintenance of septic/holding tanks at the Laboratory. This program primarily covers the quality assurance requirements and processes for ownership and operation of septic/holding tanks. LANL oversees institutional septic tank compliance related activities at the Laboratory pursuant to the NMED regulations (Liquid Waste Disposal 20NMAC7.3).
- Underground Storage Tanks
- When Region 6 EPA inspectors checked almost 1,000 of the more than 138,000 underground storage tanks being used in the five states that comprise Region 6 last year, only 40 percent of the retail facilities and about a third of the non-retail facilities inspected were in compliance. The December 22, 1998, deadline allowed 10 years to get tanks in compliance.
- Regulations require overfill/spill prevention devices, leak detection systems, and corrosion protection. They are designed to protect the only source of drinking water for nearly half of all Americans. The regulations apply to buried tanks, mainly those used for gasoline and other petroleum products at service stations and fleet refueling facilities. Some tanks are used to store hazardous chemicals, normally at industrial sites. Tanks installed after the regulations were adopted in December 1988 are required to meet the new standards.
- EPA and state environmental agencies have worked vigorously to educate owners/operators and to provide help in complying with the law. While many underground storage tanks have been upgraded, replaced, or properly closed, EPA and state agencies perform inspections to ensure all tanks meet the standards.
- New Mexico's Underground Storage Tank Program - (505) 827-2835
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