Storage Tanks

Overview

The Tanks Unit within Environmental Enforcement is comprised of Corrective Action and Prevention staff. There are four groups within the Tanks Unit.

Aboveground Storage Tanks

Aboveground storage tanks contain an accumulation of more than 1,320 gallons of fluids where more than ninety (90) percent of the capacity of which is above the surface of the ground.

Senate Bill 373, containing the Aboveground Storage Tank Act §22-30 and the Public Water Supply Protection Act §22-31 was approved by the 2014 Legislature and signed into law by Governor Earl Ray Tomblin on April 1, 2014. The law officially took effect on June 6, 2014. The bill required an inventory and registration of aboveground storage tanks, the submittal of spill prevention response plans, and certified inspections of tanks.

Underground Storage Tanks

The purpose of the Underground Storage Tank (UST) Section is to regulate underground storage tanks that contain petroleum or hazardous substances.

The services and guidance provided by the UST unit include: Tank Inspection, Tank Closures, Tank Installation/upgrades, Receive notification forms, register USTs and receive proof of financial responsibility, Maintain database and files of registered USTs, Collect annual registration fees for UST and Leaking Underground Storage Tanks, Issue certificates to facilities that have paid their fees, and Write and file revisions to the current rules and attend legislative committee meetings as required.

Leaking Aboveground Storage Tanks

All Aboveground Storage Tank owners and operators are mandated by law (47 CSR 63) to report Confirmed, Suspected, or Threatened Releases as stated in Section 6.2 to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection Emergency Spill Line at: 1-800-642-3074

Leaking Underground Storage Tanks

The WV DEP became the lead agency for administering the Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) Program with the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s authorization in September 1997.

Since then, the WV DEP has overseen the cleanup of released regulated substances, primarily petroleum products. Such releases can originate from overfilling, spilling, or leaking tanks and piping.


Reports and Data

The tanks program recently published its public access reporting web portal. ​This application is used for the public to obtain AST, LAST, UST and LUST tank related data. Additional information about individual UST facilities can be found by Searching DEP Documents and Databases in Application Enhancer (AE).We are still in the process of scanning LUST documents into AE; therefore, a FOIA request may be needed for the LUST files.


Need Assistance?

If you have any questions concerning the submission of AST certification forms, contact us.

West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection
Environmental Enforcement: Tanks Unit
601 57th Street SE
Charleston, WV 25304
Phone: (304) 926-0499​

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