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Aboveground storage tank registrations continue to trickle in to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection. To date, nearly 50,000 tank registrations have been submitted since the agency launched its online registration portal in early June. Even though the registration deadline was Oct. 1, agency employees continue to work with tank owners making a good faith effort to comply with the law.
Not only is tank registration required by Senate Bill 373, which was passed by the Legislature in March, the information provided during this process is being used by the agency in the development of a risk-based assessment that will be used to determine where the biggest threats to public health and the environment are located.
All storage containers with the capacity to hold at least 1,320 gallons of liquid, are 90 percent or more above ground and that are at a fixed location for at least 60 days are subject to regulation under the new Aboveground Storage Tank Program.
In addition to registration, the program includes requirements for spill prevention response plans, which are due Dec. 3, and tank inspection certifications, which must be submitted by Jan. 1. The specific regulatory requirements for each risk classification of tank are outlined in a draft interpretive rule and more details will be included in an emergency rule being developed. A rough draft of this emergency rule has been released to the public for input on ways to enhance the program. Since that rough draft was released, the DEP has added a financial assurance section to the document.
The draft rule is available for viewing on the DEP’s Aboveground Storage Tank Program web page, along with links to frequently asked questions about the law and its requirements, the tank registration form, contact information for agency employees who can answer questions about registration and program requirements, and other helpful information. The page can be accessed through a link on the bottom left-hand side of the DEP’s website: www.dep.wv.gov.
Comments on the draft emergency rule are being accepted through Oct. 24. They can be emailed to WVDEPTankRules@wv.gov, with “AST Emergency Rule Comments” in the subject line, or mailed to:
West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection – Public Information Office
AST Emergency Rule Comments
601 57th Street SE
Charleston, WV 25304
For more DEP news and information, be sure to check out the agency’s social media platforms. Follow @DEPWV on Twitter and find us on YouTube by searching “Environment Matters.” For specific information about the Adopt-A-Highway, West Virginia Project WET (Water Education for Teachers), West Virginia NonPoint Source and Youth Environmental programs, connect with us on Facebook.
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