Some states may have adopted specific rules to protect the environment in the event of a major fuel release from aboveground storage tanks (ASTs), for smaller as well as larger tanks, for farm as well as non-farm tanks; but some may not have done this - check to be sure. Regardless, there are federal rules -- the National Oil Pollution Prevention Regulations, administered by U.S. EPA. As the name implies, the main thrust of these regulations is prevention planning rather than after-the-fact response. They apply to all aboveground storage facilities with more than 660 gallons in a single tank, or with more than 1320 gallons at multiple-tank sites, where "a major release could reasonably be expected to reach the waters of the United States." While not explicit in the rules, "waters of the U.S." has been interpreted by some to include groundwater and "all streams, creeks, lakes, and ponds connected to the tributary system in a river basin."
These regulations have two major provisions:
Some actions, although not spelled out in laws or regulations, are a matter of common sense. Overfilling is a common source of petroleum contamination for surface or ground water. Pipe connections can be another common source of leaks.
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