Underground Storage Tank Assessments & Closure Services

The removal and closure of underground storage tanks require adherence to federal, state and local regulations, which typically includes obtaining a permit from the local fire department or other oversight agency, underground clearance of utilities, clearing and cleaning the tanks with inert gas. Soil samples are collected from the bottom and sidewalls of the excavations and tested for petroleum-related constituents, Volatile Organic Compounds with oxygenates, and also Lead (Pb) for older tanks. If groundwater is shallow temporary groundwater monitoring wells may need to be installed to determine if the groundwater has been impacted.

Soil samples should be collected at the underground tanks locations, the fuel dispensers and associated product piping. Proper disposal of impacted soil and/or groundwater that exceeds cleanup standards is required, as well as, proper transport and disposal of the tanks.

In addition to removal and closure of USTs at service stations, we also perform these services for smaller heating oil tanks, as well as, large-scale industrial underground storage tanks. In many cases, during a real estate transaction, a Phase 2 Environmental Site Assessment is conducted initially to determine if there is a severe environmental problem associated with the tanks that may be significantly impacting the value of the property and for which the severity is unknown.

In many states there are underground storage tank cleanup funds that the owner can apply to and possibly qualify for if regulatory-mandated cleanup and/or monitoring is required. Some of these funds are not longer available and were depleted during the mandated underground storage tank retrofit requirement by December of 1998. The EPA required that all single hull underground fuel storage tanks be removed and replaced with double hulled fiberglass tanks and a leak detection system with appropriate regular maintenance to assure that the USTs were not leaking. Some older and inactive service stations still have the old USTs in the ground and will likely have to be assessed and properly removed if you are trying to sell your property.

AAI handles the entire process to assure that all regulations are met and the UST removal and closure are conducted properly so that you may obtain the appropriate closure status that your site must receive before a lender will typically underwrite a real estate loan.