Aboveground storage tank regulations

Journal Article · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1993 · Pollution Engineering; (United States)

OSTI ID:6825093

Geyer, W ^[1]

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1. Steel Tank Inst., Lake Zurich, IL (United States)

There are critical differences between the potential for environmental impact of aboveground and underground oil storage. For example, while leaks from underground storage tanks (USTs) seep into soil or aquifers, the concern with aboveground storage tanks (ASTs) is that an overfill or tank rupture can cause product to escape into a navigable stream and immediately create an oil spill pollution incident. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has very distinct programs outlining regulation parameters for each type of storage, including source of authority, regulatory cutoffs and exclusions, definitions, prevention and response requirements, and penalties, etc. Engineers considering changes or recommending a change in type of storage, particularly from a UST to an AST, need to be aware of existing federal regulations. Since the federal UST program began, remediation costs have skyrocketed as a result of the need to clean up leaking tank and piping sites, backfill and surrounding soil or groundwater. Compliance with federal and state UST regulations has not been cheap, and is expected to top $23 billion, according to some estimates. Partly as a result, market demand has shifted toward use of aboveground storage tanks, a trend that is expected to continue. Industry figures show a 100% increase in factory fabricated aboveground tank activity during the last four years.

• OSTI ID: 6825093
• Journal Information: Pollution Engineering; (United States), Journal Name: Pollution Engineering; (United States) Vol. 25:8; ISSN PLENBW; ISSN 0032-3640
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020900* -- Petroleum-- Environmental Aspects
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290300 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Environment
Health
& Safety
294002 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Petroleum
COMPLIANCE
CONTAINERS
COST
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
LEAKS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
OIL SPILLS
PETROLEUM
POLLUTION REGULATIONS
REGULATIONS
STORAGE
TANKS
US EPA
US ORGANIZATIONS