Temporary Closure

There has been an increase in temporarily closed underground storage tanks due to complications from COVID-19. The USEPA has several requirements for owners who are temporarily closing an UST.

  • UST may be temporarily closed for up to 12 months;
  • Must continue to maintain and monitor corrosion protection systems;
  • Financial responsibility must be maintained;
  • Facility must have trained operators; and
  • If temporarily closed for more than 3 months, vent lines must remain open, but cap and secure all lines, pumps, manways, and ancillary equipment.

USTs in temp closure are not required to meet the following requirements:

  • Spill prevention equipment and periodic testing.
  • Overfill prevention equipment and periodic inspections.
  • Empty USTs (no more than one inch of residue is present or not more than 0.3% by weight of the total capacity of the UST system remains in the system) do not require:
  • Release detection.
  • Annual release detection testing and inspections.
  • Monthly walkthrough inspections.
  • Three-year containment sump testing.

 Regulations for temporarily closed tanks can vary from state to state. Contact your regulator for specifics before proceeding. In some cases, you may be permitted to extend the temporary closure beyond 12 months with the appropriate approval. Always notify your FR provider of a change in operating status for your USTs. PMMIC requires a temporary closure notification form be provided.

This article was featured in the August 2020 PMMIC Newsletter. Sign-up below to stay up to date with the latest industry news and best practices!

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