Alabama Has Over 50,000 Registerd Underground Storage Tanks

The Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) regulates underground storage tanks (USTs) that contain petroleum products. These include compliance regulations that pertain to construction & operation,
and to corrective action regulations that pertain to soil and groundwater clean-up caused by a petroleum release (leak).

4,069 Petroleum Releases Have Been Confirmed In Alabama

WHAT IS A PETROLEUM RELEASE?

ADEM defines a petroleum release as:

"any spilling, leaking, emitting, discharging, escaping, leaching, or disposing from an UST into groundwater, surface water, or subsurface soils"

60% of Petroleum Releases Have Been Cleaned Up


WHO PAYS FOR THE CLEAN UP?

The Alabama Tank Trust Fund (ATTF) is a clean-up fund, funded by a 1 cent per gallon fee collected at the bulk terminal. For eligible facilities, the ATTF will reimburse tank owners all covered clean-up cost except:

• An initial $5000 deductible
• Tank removal and replacement

Trust Fund Covers Up to $1,000,000 Per Release

HOW DO I MAINTAIN TRUST FUND COVERAGE?

To receive Trust Fund reimbursement, the facility must meet the following requirements:

• The USTs are registered with teh ADEM
• All regulatory fees have been paid
• The UST contains: gasoline, diesel, kerosene, or aviation fuel (waste oil tanks are not eligible)
• The tanks and piping must have corrosion protection
• The tanks must have spill and overfill prevention devices
• The release must have occurred after October 1988
• Environmental work is conducted by an ADEM approved ATTF consultant.

Remediation Can Be Natural Attenuation, Soil Excavation, or Engineered Insitu Systems

WHAT IS INVOLVED IN A CLEAN-UP OF A RELEASE?

If the ADEM determines a release has impacted groundwater and/or soil, you will receive a Notice of Release (NOR) from the ADEM. You must then retain an ATTF approved consultant and pay the deductible amount. Your environmental consultant will handle all paperwork from this point forward.

Environmental work will include soil and groundwater testing, calculation of risked base corrective action limits, and remediation if warranted. Upon successful clean-up you may receive a No Further Action (NFA) letter from the ADEM.