Underground Storage Tank Removal and Closure
The following “Rules of Georgia, Department of Natural Resources, Environmental Protection Division, Chapter 391-3-15 (Underground Storage Tank Management)”, regulations govern the proper management of UST removals or closures:
391-3-15-11 (Out-of-Service UST Systems and Closure)
(1) 40 CFR Part 280, Subpart G (1993) is hereby incorporated by reference.
-UST systems can only remain temporarily-out-of-service for 12 months.
(2) The owner or operator, or past owner or operator, of an UST system, in service on or after January 1, 1974, but taken out of service or abandoned before December 22, 1988, must close the UST system, as required by EPD, in accordance with 40 CFR Part 280, Subpart G (1993).
So long as the current owner of the UST system accepts responsibility and provides corrective action (i.e. UST removal) for out-dated systems, GEPD will not prosecute. Only when negligence is discovered, will GEPD implement enforcement actions against such owners.
All Advanced Environmental Management Underground Storage Tank (UST) removal services & activities will follow GEPD guidelines “So You Want To Close An UST?” document (GUST 9) dated August 1995. Confirmation soil samples will be retrieved from each end of each UST in the excavation and under each dispenser and field screened for organic vapors with the use of an Organic Vapor Analyzer and submitted for laboratory analysis. Each sample will be analyzed for Benzene, Toluene, Ethyl-Benzene and Xylene (BTEX), and Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH-GRO) compounds. The results of the UST removal will be submitted in a letter report (GUST 9 format), for your review and records.
All Field work will be conducted by an Advanced Environmental Management (AEM) Geologist, trained in conducting UST removals/investigations. All site personnel will be OSHA 40 hour trained for hazardous materials handling.
