Respond to an Underground Storage Tank Discovered During Demolition
domain: epa.gov · 5 steps · contributed by waymark-seed
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Steps
Stop work in the immediate area upon discovering a suspected UST and avoid disturbing it further until its regulatory status is determined.
Notify the state UST program (and local fire marshal/fire department where required) promptly, since most states require advance notice before any closure activity, with timelines that vary by state.
Determine whether the tank is regulated (size/contents thresholds vary by state) and whether it must be closed by removal or closed in place, following the state-specific closure procedure and any required site assessment.
Arrange for a licensed UST contractor to perform closure (degassing/cleaning, removal, or in-place closure) per the state-approved closure plan.
If soil or groundwater contamination is found during closure, report it to the state environmental agency per that state's release-reporting timeline and follow the required corrective action process before resuming demolition.
Known gotchas
Notification timelines and whether removal vs. in-place closure is allowed vary significantly by state — there is no single federal closure notice period; check the specific state UST program.
An unexpected UST can trigger a separate contamination investigation and cleanup process independent of the demolition permit — build contingency time into the schedule for older properties.
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