Are you complacent with your compliance?

By Mike Furst

You don’t have to look very hard to find reports of recent underground storage tank (UST) violations.  EPA fines range from tens of thousands of dollars to millions, depending on the scope and severity of the issue. It’s not just big oil companies that are at risk. Even small retailers are under more scrutiny by the public, media and government regulators. 

Last month a jury awarded the largest judgment ever for a UST leak.

Unless USTs and lines are maintained, monitored and periodically upgraded, you are at risk for leaks. Are you adequately protected? 

Here are some questions to consider:

1.       Do you have all your tanks registered with the state or county? 

2.       Do your employees know how to properly respond to an Automatic Tank Gauge alarm?

3.       Do you know when and how to file the permitting documents to renew your tanks? 

4.       Are you prepared for a surprise inspection from a federal or local regulator? 

5.       Do you have at least one year’s worth of monthly compliance reports and alarm history data? 

6.       Are you confident that your customers are not at risk from excessive water in your fuel?  Pumping water into a car can be costly for both you and the customer.

If you’re not comfortable with any of the questions above or want more information, consider working with a company that has the knowledge and resources to help you manage the risk and stay in compliance. These services are more affordable than most people think, costing less than $1,000 per year per site for a basic offering. Although the risk of an incident is low, the potential costs can be devastating to your business and the environment.