Revising Underground Storage Tank Regulations-Revisions to Existing Requirements and New Requirements for Secondary Containment and Operator Training

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or the Agency) is making certain revisions to the 1988 underground storage tank (UST) regulation and to the 1988 state program approval (SPA) regulation. These changes establish Federal requirements that are similar to key portions of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct); they also update the 1988 UST and SPA regulations. Changes to the regulations include: Adding secondary containment requirements for new and replaced tanks and piping; adding operator training requirements; adding periodic operation and maintenance requirements for UST systems; addressing UST systems deferred in the 1988 UST regulation; adding new release prevention and detection technologies; updating codes of practice; making editorial corrections and technical amendments; and updating state program approval requirements to incorporate these new changes. EPA thinks these changes will protect human health and the environment by reducing the number of releases to the environment and quickly detecting releases, if they occur.