(1)
At least 30 days before beginning decommissioning by permanent closure or
change-in- service, the owner and permittee, or the licensed service provider
on behalf of the owner and permittee, must submit to DEQ a general permit
registration form and notice of intent to decommission the UST or to complete a
change-in-service. DEQ may allow a shorter notice period on a case-by-case
basis.
(2) DEQ will not issue a
general permit registration certificate to the permittee.
(3) The owner and permittee, or the licensed
service provider on behalf of the owner, must submit to DEQ for approval a
written site assessment plan that meets the requirements of OAR
340-150-0180(4)
if the owner or permittee is proposing to:
(a)
Permanently close the UST in-place and fill it with an inert
material;
(b) Use the UST to store
an unregulated substance (i.e. change-in-service);
(c) Permanently close an UST that contains a
hazardous substance other than petroleum.
(4) If the UST system will be used to store
an unregulated substance without removing the tank, the owner and permittee
must provide information to DEQ on the proposed use of the UST system with the
notice required under section (1) of this rule. Under no circumstance may an
UST or any underground piping that has held a regulated substance be used to
store water for consumption by humans or livestock or for the watering of feed
crops.
(5) At least three working
days before beginning the decommissioning, the owner and permittee, or the
licensed service provider on behalf of the owner and permittee, must notify DEQ
of the confirmed date and time decommissioning will begin to allow observation
by DEQ.
(6) The permittee must
empty the UST system and clean it by removing all liquids and accumulated
sludge. The permittee must recycle or dispose of the USTs and removed materials
in accordance with all federal, state and local requirements. If any equipment
(i.e., tanks or piping) are to be disposed of instead of recycled, the disposal
location must be approved in advance in writing by DEQ.
One or more of the following cleaning and closure procedures
may be used:
(a) American Petroleum
Institute RP 1604, "Closure of Underground Petroleum Storage Tanks";
(b) American Petroleum Institute Publication
2015, "Safe Entry and Cleaning of Petroleum Storage Tanks, Planning and
Managing Tank Entry From Decommissioning Through Recommissioning";
(c) American Petroleum Institute RP 1631,
"Interior Lining and Periodic Inspection of Underground Storage Tanks"
(contains guidance information); or
(d) The National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health (NIOSH) "Criteria for a Recommended Standard: Working in
Confined Space" (Publication No. 80-106) (guidance for conducting safe closure
procedures at some hazardous substance USTs).
(7) The permittee must perform a site
assessment that meets the requirements of OAR
340-150-0180 after the UST system
and all ancillary equipment have been removed from the tank pit. If approval of
a site assessment plan was required under section (3) of this rule, the site
assessment must be conducted in accordance with DEQ's approval.
(8) Within 30 days after completing the field
work or other period approved by DEQ, the permittee must complete and submit to
DEQ an underground storage tank decommissioning checklist and site assessment
report (OAR
340-150-0180) signed by the owner, permittee and service
provider.
(9) Except as provided by
OAR
340-150-0156, all UST services must be performed under the supervision of a
person licensed as a DEQ UST services supervisor who is working for a company
licensed as a DEQ UST services service provider in accordance with OAR chapter
340, division 160.
(10) The UST
system decommissioning will be considered complete when DEQ approves the
completed decommissioning checklist and site assessment report. DEQ will
provide a letter to the permittee indicating that the decommissioning is
complete.
(11) Until DEQ approves
the reports under section (10), the permittee must pay all annual compliance
fees when due and any applicable late fees.
(12) The permittee must maintain records of
permanent closure, including the site assessment report and associated
documents, for three years after the decommissioning checklist and report have
been approved. If the UST facility is sold within this time period, the
permittee must provide these records to the new property owner (OAR
340-150-0140).