(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).