Underground Storage Tanks

A complete version of the law that governs underground storage tanks (USTs) is available in the U.S. Code, Title 42, Chapter 82, Subchapter IX (scroll down to near the end of the law for Subchapter IX). This law incorporates amendments to Subtitle I of the Solid Waste Disposal Act as well as the UST provisions of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and gives EPA the authority to regulate USTs.

The UST provisions of the Energy Policy Act focus on preventing releases. Among other things, it expands eligible uses of the Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) Trust Fund and includes provisions regarding inspections, operator training, delivery prohibition, secondary containment and financial responsibility, and cleanup of releases that contain oxygenated fuel additives.

The LUST provision of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act appropriated $200 million to assess and clean up leaks from underground storage tanks. The vast majority of the money is allocated to states and territories in the form of assistance agreements to address shovel-ready sites within their jurisdictions.

Other Resources

EPA provides basic information regarding the regulatory process.

The Office of the Law Revision Counsel prepares and publishes the United States Code, which is a consolidation and codification by subject matter of the general and permanent laws of the United States.

Legislative information from the Library of Congress is available in the searchable database, Thomas .

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