UST / LUST Information Resources (Regulations, Policies, Publications & Guidance)

Laws & Regulations
UST Operation & Maintenance
LUST
Compliance Assistance
General UST/LUST Information
UST Closure Guidance
Regulatory Interpretations
State / Indian Lands / Industry Information

Program Information

UST/LUST Home
USTs
LUSTs
Enforcement
Compliance Assistance
Information Resources
Forms
EPA & State Contacts

This program is managed by

the Groundwater Protection Unit of the Office of Compliance and Enforcement.

You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader, available as a free download, to view some of the files on this page. See EPA's PDF page to learn more about PDF and for a link to the free Acrobat Reader.

Laws & Regulations Pertaining to USTs

Subtitle I of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
Federal UST Regulations - Read the text of the regulations as it appears in the Code of Federal Regulations.

General UST / LUST Information

Various EPA publications regarding automatic tank gauges, manual tank gauging, inventory control, release detection, financial responsibility and cleanups can be viewed or downloaded by visiting the Office of Underground Storage Tanks (OUST) Publications web page. Publications include:

Frequently Asked Questions – Provides answers to the most common general questions OUST has received.

Hazardous Substance UST Requirements – Includes the definition of the term “hazardous substance”, a link to the CERCLA hazardous substance list and information on requirements for USTs containing hazardous substances.

UST Operation & Maintenance

Meeting UST System Requirements (OUST) - Information on various topics pertaining to USTs including tank and piping installation, reporting and record keeping, detecting releases, corrosion, spill and overfill protection, financial responsibility, etc.
Automatic Tank Gauging Systems for Release Detection: Reference Manual for Underground Storage Tank Inspectors (OUST) - This manual can help state and EPA UST Inspectors evaluate how well UST owner/operators are using their ATG systems to comply with release detection requirements. It also provides handouts that UST Inspectors can distribute to owner/operators to help them understand the proper operation and maintenance of their ATG systems.
Automatic Tank Monitoring and Line Leak Detection (EPA Region 7) - Includes the Automatic Tank Gauging and Leak Detection Reference Manual compiled in conjunction with Ken Wilcox Associates, which has pictures and general summaries of some ATG systems with sample reports. There are also pictures of the most common mechanical and electronic line leak detectors. (Note: Summaries are not necessarily current.)
Corrosion Protection (EPA Region 7) – This site provides information describing the corrosion process and how cathodic protection is usually accomplished.
List of Leak Detection Evaluations for UST Systems (also known as USEPA Standard Evaluations or Third Party Evaluations) - Information generated by the National Work Group on Leak Detection Evaluations (NWGLDE) is now available at their own web site. This site contains a variety of information pertaining to leak detection, including the most recent list of leak detection methods that have been evaluated by third parties to see if they meet EPA's performance standards.

Sumps and Spill Buckets (OUST) - UST Systems: Inspecting and Maintaining Sumps and Spill Buckets - Practical Help and Checklists (EPA-510-R-05-001, May 2005), a 16-page manual released in May 2005, offers UST owners and operators recommended inspection guidelines and best management practices for their sumps and spill buckets associated with USTs.

UST Closure Guidance

How Do You Close Tanks?

Closure Guidance for USTs on Indian Lands in Region 10 (PDF) (14 pp. 113K)

LUST

Cleaning Up Underground Storage Tank System Releases – General information on cleaning up leaks from underground storage tanks from OUST. This page also provides links to other information resources within and outside EPA.
Drinking Water and MTBE: A Guide for Public Well Owners (PDF, 6pp. 357KB) – This brochure, issued by the Center for Environment and Energy of the University of Wisconsin – Extension in conjunction with the National Farm*A*Syst / Home*A*Syst Office and funded by the EPA Office of Groundwater and Drinking Water, provides private well owners with basic information about the gasoline additive methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE).

Regulatory Interpretations

UST Technical Compendium - This compendium contains EPA regulatory interpretations and guidance letters sent out by OUST and includes such topics as:
Line Leak Detection and Stand Alone Sump Sensors (pdf, 8 KB, 1 page) (EPA Region 10) – A regulatory interpretation to clarify how sump sensors may be used and when a line leak detector is required.

Annual Testing Requirement for Electronic Line Leak Detectors (ELLDs) (pdf, 10 KB, 1 page) (EPA Region 10) – A regulatory interpretation clarifying the need to test ELLDs once a year.

UST Compliance Assistance

Compliance Summary Checklist (pdf, 102 KB, 2 pages) - This checklist can help owners and/or operators remember what they need to do and when they need to do it so that they can maintain compliance with federal UST regulations in regard to operating and maintaining their UST systems.

UST System Summary Table (pdf, 184 KB, 1 page) - This table can help owners and/or operators in having equipment information (for example - tank capacity, contents, material of construction, release detection, piping material of construction, piping release detection, etc.) about each one of their UST systems all in one place.