Storage Tank Section
Maggie Weiser, Section Chief
Phone: (785) 296-1678 Fax: (785) 559-4260
Email: Maggie.Weiser@ks.gov
1000 SW Jackson, Suite 410
Topeka, KS 66612-1367
The Storage Tank Section is responsible for enforcing federal and state storage tank regulations designed to prevent releases that impact the health and safety of the citizens of the state.
The Storage Tank Section enforces federal and state storage tank regulations and provides oversight and direction of investigations and remedial activities at sites where storage tank releases have taken place. Site remediation may be funded by responsible parties, or through reimbursement from the state Petroleum Storage Tank Reimbursement Fund or from the federal LUST Trust Fund.
Public Availability Session: MtBE Groundwater Contaminant, September 13, 2016
A public meeting was held Tuesday evening, September 13, 2016 to discuss groundwater contaminant issues in a West Wichita neighborhood. One of the areas of interest is related to a former gas station (Coastal Mart) located on the northeast corner of Central and Maize. Investigation activities are on-going to determine the spatial and vertical extent of contamination.
ADDITIONAL INVESTIGATIVE WORK-MtBE CONTAMINANT
FORMER COASTAL MART #7301
W. CENTRAL AND N. MAIZE, WICHITA
KDHE PROJECT CODE: U2 087 13357
A subsurface electrical conductivity (EC) survey and a laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) survey were conducted in the area of W. Central and N. Maize from September 20th thru October 3rd, 2016. The EC survey provided information about the subsurface geology of the area, identifying two distinct sand layers separated by a clay zone of varying thickness. The deeper sand zone is thought to be the zone from which domestic wells in the area produce water. Monitoring wells associated with the initial Coastal Mart work did not extend to the deeper sand zone. The LIF survey revealed gasoline contaminated soil at depth directly beneath the former tank basin located at the southwest corner of the referenced site. KDHE has solicited bids from environmental engineering firms to address the gasoline contamination found at this location.
Nested monitoring wells (one shallow and one deep) were installed at three locations in the neighborhoods around the site and one location at the former Coastal Mart site (eight new monitoring wells total). The monitoring wells were installed to better determine how MtBE is moving in groundwater. The flow of groundwater, in both the shallow and deeper parts of the aquifer, is to the southeast. MtBE was not detected in any of the new off-site monitoring wells. Low levels of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) were detected in two of the off-site monitoring well locations. The concentrations in these locations are well below levels that would be considered a risk to human health or the environment. As part of the above mentioned upcoming work to address gasoline contamination soil at the Former Coastal Mart facility, KDHE will install additional monitoring wells to further delineate the petroleum contaminant plume.
The below listed reports provide further detail on the additional investigative work that has been performed.
Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Update--TPH Analytical Method Update
In September 2015 KDHE BER revised its total petroleum hydrocarbon and LNAPL policy, Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH) and Light Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid (LNAPL) Characterization, Remediation, and Management BER Policy # BER-041. BER has since coordinated with the Kansas Health and Environmental Laboratory (KHEL) to bring to fruition a new Kansas analytical method to meet the requirements of the policy.
KDHE is happy to announce that beginning January 1, 2016, five laboratories will be certified to run the new Kansas TPH Methods. For a complete list of certified laboratories for the Kansas TPH Methods and other various matrices and analytes, please visit the KHEL Laboratory Accreditation webpage.
Contractual Services Unit
The Contractual Services Unit designs and specifies the format for bidding on scopes of work for corrective action at UST and AST petroleum release trust fund sites. The unit tracks consultant work timelines and budgets and enforces program reimbursement policies. The unit tracks project budgets and expenditures made through the KDHE petroleum remediation contract. The unit documents and tracks consultant qualifications and compliance of responsible parties with agency policies and consent agreements.
Groundwater Monitoring Unit
The Groundwater Monitoring Unit is responsible for the oversight of UST and AST sites in the monitoring program. Unit activities include set-up and coordination of long term monitoring at trust fund sites and evaluating natural attenuation of petroleum constituents. Unit project managers carefully evaluate monitoring report data in accordance to Risk-based Corrective Action guidelines to determine if sites are candidates for continued monitoring, remediation or closure. The unit also oversees recovery and removal of Non-Aqueous Phase Liquids (raw fuels) where recovery is technically possible in order to reduce source areas, and inspects vendor activities and field work in order to maintain quality assurance/quality control. Unit technicians are in charge of remedial equipment inventory, maintenance, and disposal.
LUST Investigation Unit
The Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) Unit performs project management for Limited Site Assessments and Risk Based Corrective Action. In addition, staff administer Time and Materials contracts and the Federal LUST program. Staff also coordinate tank removals and excavation activities, respond to emergencies, process public requests for information, and disseminate program information to the public and other government agencies.
Remedial Unit
The Remedial Unit facilitates remedial actions at sites where there has been a release of petroleum products from storage tank systems. Remedial Unit staff oversee design, installation, and continued operation of soil and groundwater remedial systems as well as sensitive receptor treatment, including private and public water supply treatment systems and vapor mitigations systems associated with indoor air quality.
Preventative Unit
The Preventative Unit works to prevent the release of regulated substances from underground storage tanks (USTs), protecting public health and safety and preventing soil and groundwater contamination. KDHE, UST owners and operators, and Kansas-Licensed Contractors work together register and permit tank sites, perform compliance inspections, maintain a facility database, and license contractors for work on these systems. The Unit also permits regulated aboveground tanks and processes applications for the storage tank trust and UST property redevelopment funds.
Kansas Public Record Summary Information for USTs for 2016.
Storage Tanks Section Staff Directory
Name |
Title |
|
Phone |
Administration |
|||
Maggie Weiser |
Section Chief |
785-296-1684 |
|
Cathy Herring |
Administrative Specialist |
785-296-1661 |
|
Contractural Services Unit |
|||
Marcia Morgan |
Unit Chief |
785-296-4574 |
|
Tina Gustin |
Coordinator |
785-296-5542 |
|
Mary Knox |
Coordinator |
785-296-5625 |
|
Tamy Simmons |
Coordinator |
785-296-0624 |
|
Julie Turner |
Public Service Administrator |
785-296-2181 |
|
Pam Tyner |
Administrative Assistant |
785-296-6367 |
|
Groundwater Monitoring Unit |
|||
Sharon Morgan, P. G. |
Unit Chief |
785-296-1030 |
|
Ashley Allen, P. G. |
Professional Geologist |
785-296-6385 |
|
Cory Ingham |
Environmental Specialist |
785-291-3793 |
|
Mike LaBuda |
Environmental Associate |
785-296-1870 |
|
Matthew Lawhon |
Environmental Associate |
785-296-2579 |
|
Mark Totty |
Environmental Associate |
785-291-3107 |
|
LUST Investigation Unit |
|||
Stephanie Pfannenstiel |
Unit Chief |
785-296-6768 |
|
Chris Anderson |
Geology Associate |
785-296-0623 |
|
Chuck Barker |
Professional Geologist |
785-296-0699 |
|
Alda LaCrone |
Administrative Assistant |
785-296-8426 |
|
Lacey Laird |
Environmental Specialist |
785-296-8987 |
|
Remedial Unit |
|||
Scott O'Neal |
Unit Chief |
785-296-1597 |
|
Alek McElroy |
Geology Specialist |
785-291-3103 |
|
Emily McGuire, P. G. |
Professional Geologist |
785-296-7005 |
|
James Snow |
Geology Specialist |
785-296-0610 |
|
Jeff Swanson, P. G. |
Professional Geologist |
785-296-5931 |
|
Brett Tavener |
Geology Specialist |
785-291-3105 |
|
Preventative Unit |
|||
Marcus Meerian |
Unit Chief |
785-296-6372 |
|
Robin Ashton |
Senior Administrative Assistant |
785-296-8061 |
|
Debbie Clure |
Administrative Specialist |
785-296-1599 |
|
Gary Richardson |
Environmental Associate |
785-296-1677 |