§ 280.20 - Performance standards for new UST systems.

§ 280.20 Performance standards for new UST systems.

In order to prevent releases due to structural failure, corrosion, or spills and overfills for as long as the UST system is used to store regulated substances, all owners and operators of new UST systems must meet the following requirements. In addition, except for suction piping that meets the requirements of § 280.41(b)(1)(ii)(A) through (E), tanks and piping installed or replaced after April 11, 2016 must be secondarily contained and use interstitial monitoring in accordance with § 280.43(g). Secondary containment must be able to contain regulated substances leaked from the primary containment until they are detected and removed and prevent the release of regulated substances to the environment at any time during the operational life of the UST system. For cases where the piping is considered to be replaced, the entire piping run must be secondarily contained.

(a) Tanks. Each tank must be properly designed and constructed, and any portion underground that routinely contains product must be protected from corrosion, in accordance with a code of practice developed by a nationally recognized association or independent testing laboratory as specified below:

(1) The tank is constructed of fiberglass-reinforced plastic; or

Note to paragraph (a)(1).

The following codes of practice may be used to comply with paragraph (a)(1) of this section:

(A) Underwriters Laboratories Standard 1316, “Glass-Fiber-Reinforced Plastic Underground Storage Tanks for Petroleum Products, Alcohols, and Alcohol-Gasoline Mixtures”; or

(B) Underwriter's Laboratories of Canada S615, “Standard for Reinforced Plastic Underground Tanks for Flammable and Combustible Liquids”.

(2) The tank is constructed of steel and cathodically protected in the following manner:

(i) The tank is coated with a suitable dielectric material;

(ii) Field-installed cathodic protection systems are designed by a corrosion expert;

(iii) Impressed current systems are designed to allow determination of current operating status as required in § 280.31(c); and

(iv) Cathodic protection systems are operated and maintained in accordance with § 280.31 or according to guidelines established by the implementing agency; or

Note to paragraph (a)(2).

The following codes of practice may be used to comply with paragraph (a)(2) of this section:

(A) Steel Tank Institute “Specification STI-P3® Specification and Manual for External Corrosion Protection of Underground Steel Storage Tanks”;

(B) Underwriters Laboratories Standard 1746, “External Corrosion Protection Systems for Steel Underground Storage Tanks”;

(C) Underwriters Laboratories of Canada S603, “Standard for Steel Underground Tanks for Flammable and Combustible Liquids,” and S603.1, “Standard for External Corrosion Protection Systems for Steel Underground Tanks for Flammable and Combustible Liquids,” and S631, “Standard for Isolating Bushings for Steel Underground Tanks Protected with External Corrosion Protection Systems”;

(D) Steel Tank Institute Standard F841, “Standard for Dual Wall Underground Steel Storage Tanks”; or

(E) NACE International Standard Practice SP 0285, “External Corrosion Control of Underground Storage Tank Systems by Cathodic Protection,” and Underwriters Laboratories Standard 58, “Standard for Steel Underground Tanks for Flammable and Combustible Liquids”.

(3) The tank is constructed of steel and clad or jacketed with a non-corrodible material; or

Note to paragraph (a)(3).

The following codes of practice may be used to comply with paragraph (a)(3) of this section:

(A) Underwriters Laboratories Standard 1746, “External Corrosion Protection Systems for Steel Underground Storage Tanks”;

(B) Steel Tank Institute ACT-100® Specification F894, “Specification for External Corrosion Protection of FRP Composite Steel Underground Storage Tanks”;

(C) Steel Tank Institute ACT-100-U® Specification F961, “Specification for External Corrosion Protection of Composite Steel Underground Storage Tanks”; or

(D) Steel Tank Institute Specification F922, “Steel Tank Institute Specification for Permatank®”.

(4) The tank is constructed of metal without additional corrosion protection measures provided that:

(i) The tank is installed at a site that is determined by a corrosion expert not to be corrosive enough to cause it to have a release due to corrosion during its operating life; and

(ii) Owners and operators maintain records that demonstrate compliance with the requirements of paragraph (a)(4)(i) of this section for the remaining life of the tank; or

(5) The tank construction and corrosion protection are determined by the implementing agency to be designed to prevent the release or threatened release of any stored regulated substance in a manner that is no less protective of human health and the environment than paragraphs (a)(1) through (4) of this section.

(b) Piping. The piping that routinely contains regulated substances and is in contact with the ground must be properly designed, constructed, and protected from corrosion in accordance with a code of practice developed by a nationally recognized association or independent testing laboratory as specified below.

(1) The piping is constructed of a non-corrodible material; or

Note to paragraph (b)(1).

The following codes of practice may be used to comply with paragraph (b)(1) of this section:

(A) Underwriters Laboratories Standard 971, “Nonmetallic Underground Piping for Flammable Liquids”; or

(B) Underwriters Laboratories of Canada Standard S660, “Standard for Nonmetallic Underground Piping for Flammable and Combustible Liquids”.

(2) The piping is constructed of steel and cathodically protected in the following manner:

(i) The piping is coated with a suitable dielectric material;

(ii) Field-installed cathodic protection systems are designed by a corrosion expert;

(iii) Impressed current systems are designed to allow determination of current operating status as required in § 280.31(c); and

(iv) Cathodic protection systems are operated and maintained in accordance with § 280.31 or guidelines established by the implementing agency; or

Note to paragraph (b)(2).

The following codes of practice may be used to comply with paragraph (b)(2) of this section:

(A) American Petroleum Institute Recommended Practice 1632, “Cathodic Protection of Underground Petroleum Storage Tanks and Piping Systems”;

(B) Underwriters Laboratories Subject 971A, “Outline of Investigation for Metallic Underground Fuel Pipe”;

(C) Steel Tank Institute Recommended Practice R892, “Recommended Practice for Corrosion Protection of Underground Piping Networks Associated with Liquid Storage and Dispensing Systems”;

(D) NACE International Standard Practice SP 0169, “Control of External Corrosion on Underground or Submerged Metallic Piping Systems”; or

(E) NACE International Standard Practice SP 0285, “External Corrosion Control of Underground Storage Tank Systems by Cathodic Protection”.

(3) The piping is constructed of metal without additional corrosion protection measures provided that:

(i) The piping is installed at a site that is determined by a corrosion expert to not be corrosive enough to cause it to have a release due to corrosion during its operating life; and

(ii) Owners and operators maintain records that demonstrate compliance with the requirements of paragraph (b)(3)(i) of this section for the remaining life of the piping; or

(4) The piping construction and corrosion protection are determined by the implementing agency to be designed to prevent the release or threatened release of any stored regulated substance in a manner that is no less protective of human health and the environment than the requirements in paragraphs (b)(1) through (3) of this section.

(c) Spill and overfill prevention equipment.

(1) Except as provided in paragraphs (c)(2) and (3) of this section, to prevent spilling and overfilling associated with product transfer to the UST system, owners and operators must use the following spill and overfill prevention equipment:

(i) Spill prevention equipment that will prevent release of product to the environment when the transfer hose is detached from the fill pipe (for example, a spill catchment basin); and

(ii) Overfill prevention equipment that will:

(A) Automatically shut off flow into the tank when the tank is no more than 95 percent full; or

(B) Alert the transfer operator when the tank is no more than 90 percent full by restricting the flow into the tank or triggering a high-level alarm; or

(C) Restrict flow 30 minutes prior to overfilling, alert the transfer operator with a high level alarm one minute before overfilling, or automatically shut off flow into the tank so that none of the fittings located on top of the tank are exposed to product due to overfilling.

(2) Owners and operators are not required to use the spill and overfill prevention equipment specified in paragraph (c)(1) of this section if:

(i) Alternative equipment is used that is determined by the implementing agency to be no less protective of human health and the environment than the equipment specified in paragraph (c)(1)(i) or (ii) of this section; or

(ii) The UST system is filled by transfers of no more than 25 gallons at one time.

(3) Flow restrictors used in vent lines may not be used to comply with paragraph (c)(1)(ii) of this section when overfill prevention is installed or replaced after October 13, 2015.

(4) Spill and overfill prevention equipment must be periodically tested or inspected in accordance with § 280.35.

(d) Installation. The UST system must be properly installed in accordance with a code of practice developed by a nationally recognized association or independent testing laboratory and in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.

Note to paragraph (d).

Tank and piping system installation practices and procedures described in the following codes of practice may be used to comply with the requirements of paragraph (d) of this section:

(A) American Petroleum Institute Publication 1615, “Installation of Underground Petroleum Storage System”;

(B) Petroleum Equipment Institute Publication RP100, “Recommended Practices for Installation of Underground Liquid Storage Systems”; or

(C) National Fire Protection Association Standard 30, “Flammable and Combustible Liquids Code” and Standard 30A, “Code for Motor Fuel Dispensing Facilities and Repair Garages”.

(e) Certification of installation. All owners and operators must ensure that one or more of the following methods of certification, testing, or inspection is used to demonstrate compliance with paragraph (d) of this section by providing a certification of compliance on the UST notification form in accordance with § 280.22.

(1) The installer has been certified by the tank and piping manufacturers; or

(2) The installer has been certified or licensed by the implementing agency; or

(3) The installation has been inspected and certified by a registered professional engineer with education and experience in UST system installation; or

(4) The installation has been inspected and approved by the implementing agency; or

(5) All work listed in the manufacturer's installation checklists has been completed; or

(6) The owner and operator have complied with another method for ensuring compliance with paragraph (d) of this section that is determined by the implementing agency to be no less protective of human health and the environment.

(f) Dispenser systems. Each UST system must be equipped with under-dispenser containment for any new dispenser system installed after April 11, 2016.

(1) A dispenser system is considered new when both the dispenser and the equipment needed to connect the dispenser to the underground storage tank system are installed at an UST facility. The equipment necessary to connect the dispenser to the underground storage tank system includes check valves, shear valves, unburied risers or flexible connectors, or other transitional components that are underneath the dispenser and connect the dispenser to the underground piping.

(2) Under-dispenser containment must be liquid-tight on its sides, bottom, and at any penetrations. Under-dispenser containment must allow for visual inspection and access to the components in the containment system or be periodically monitored for leaks from the dispenser system.