Selecting fuel storage tanks

Journal Article · Thu Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1993 · Public Works; (United States)

OSTI ID:5907888

Doherty, R ^[1]

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1. Tait and Associates, Bellevue, WA (United States)

Until the use of underground storage tanks (USTs) for fuel storage was mandated by the 1970 Uniform Fire Code, above-ground storage tanks (ASTs) were widely used. The tanks were relatively crude by today's standards so the technical superiority and fire protection afforded by use of underground tanks soon made USTs the system of choice for almost all uses. As a result, tens of thousands of tanks have been underground for more than 20 years, and at some point, many of them began leaking. Often, the first sign of these leaks appeared when groundwater became contaminated. The EPA responded to this major environmental problem by strictly regulating the use of below-ground tanks to store flammable liquids. These added regulations have had a severe effect on both service stations and private fueling. The removal of underground tanks and the removal and disposal of any contaminated soil is an extremely expensive proposition. Furthermore, new Uniform Fire Code regulations have added to the costs, imposing requirements for double-walled tanks, corrosion protection, electronic leak monitoring, and annual tank testing. These requirements, plus the financial responsibility requirements the EPA imposed on owners and users of below-ground tanks, led directly to a reconsideration of the use of above-ground tanks for some applications.

• OSTI ID: 5907888
• Journal Information: Public Works; (United States), Journal Name: Public Works; (United States) Vol. 124:8; ISSN 0033-3840; ISSN PUWOAH
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020900* -- Petroleum-- Environmental Aspects
CONTAINERS
CONTAMINATION
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
FUELS
GROUND WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
LEAKS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION REGULATIONS
REGULATIONS
STORAGE
TANKS
UNDERGROUND STORAGE
WATER