**Section 3 --- Suspected Or Confirmed Releases**

You need to be fully prepared to respond to releases **before** they may
occur. You need to know what to do when release detection methods
indicate a suspected or confirmed release. Be ready to take the
following steps, as appropriate.

**Stop The Release**

-   Take immediate action to prevent the release of more product.

-   Turn off the power to the dispenser and bag the nozzle.

-   Make sure you know where your emergency shutoff switch is located.

-   Empty the tank, if necessary, without further contaminating the
    site. You may need the assistance of your supplier or distributor.

    **Contain The Release**

    Contain, absorb, and clean up any surface spills or overfills. You
    should keep enough absorbent material at your facility to contain a
    spill or overfill of petroleum products until emergency response
    personnel can respond to the incident. The suggested supplies
    include, but are not limited to, the following:

    \# Containment devices, such as containment booms, dikes, and
    pillows.

    \# Absorbent material, such as kitty litter, chopped corn cob, sand,
    and sawdust. (Be sure you properly dispose of used absorbent
    materials.)

    \# Mats or other material capable of keeping spill or overfill out
    of nearby storm drains.

    \# Spark-free flash light.

    \# Spark-free shovel.

    \# Buckets.

    \# Reels of caution tape, traffic cones, and warning signs.

    \# Personal protective gear.

    Also, identify any fire, explosion, or vapor hazards and take action
    to neutralize these hazards.

    **Call For Help**

    Contact your local fire or emergency response authority. Make sure
    you have these crucial telephone numbers prominently posted where
    you and your employees can easily see them. See the next page for a
    form you can copy and post.

    **Report To Authorities**

    If you observe any of the following, contact your state's
    underground storage tank regulatory authority to report a suspected
    or confirmed release as soon as possible (within 24 hours):

    \# Any spill or overfill of petroleum that exceeds 25 gallons or
    that causes a sheen on nearby surface water. (Spills and overfills
    under 25 gallons that are contained and immediately cleaned up do
    not have to be reported. If they can't be quickly cleaned up they
    must be reported to your regulatory agency.)

    \# Any released regulated substances at the UST site or in the
    surrounding area --- such as the presence of liquid petroleum; soil
    contamination; surface water or groundwater contamination; or
    petroleum vapors in sewer, basement, or utility lines.

    \# Any unusual operating conditions you observe --- such as erratic
    behavior of the dispenser, a sudden loss of product, or an
    unexplained presence of water in the tank. However, you are not
    required to report if:

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-   The system equipment is found to be defective, but not leaking, and
    is immediately repaired or replaced.

    \# Results from your release detection system indicate a suspected
    release. However, you are not required to report if:

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```
-   The monitoring device is found to be defective and is immediately
    repaired, recalibrated, or replaced and further monitoring does not
    confirm the initial suspected release, or

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```
-   In the case of inventory control, a second month of data does not
    confirm the initial result.

    The next page contains a blank list for names and phone numbers of
    important contacts.

    Fill out this information for your facility so that you will know
    who to call in case of an emergency. Remove this page from the
    manual, copy it, fill it out, and post it in a prominent place at
    your facility.

    **Copy the next page and update it often. Make sure everyone at your
    UST facility is familiar with this list of contacts.**

+----------------------+---+---+-----------------------+---+-----------------+---+
| **Release Response** |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|                      |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
| **Important Contact  |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
| Information**        |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
+----------------------+---+---+-----------------------+---+-----------------+---+
|                      |   | * |                       |   | **Phone \#**    |   |
|                      |   | * |                       |   |                 |   |
|                      |   | C |                       |   |                 |   |
|                      |   | o |                       |   |                 |   |
|                      |   | n |                       |   |                 |   |
|                      |   | t |                       |   |                 |   |
|                      |   | a |                       |   |                 |   |
|                      |   | c |                       |   |                 |   |
|                      |   | t |                       |   |                 |   |
|                      |   | N |                       |   |                 |   |
|                      |   | a |                       |   |                 |   |
|                      |   | m |                       |   |                 |   |
|                      |   | e |                       |   |                 |   |
|                      |   | * |                       |   |                 |   |
|                      |   | * |                       |   |                 |   |
+----------------------+---+---+-----------------------+---+-----------------+---+
| **State UST          |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
| Agency:**            |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
+----------------------+---+---+-----------------------+---+-----------------+---+
| **Local UST          |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
| Agency:**            |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
+----------------------+---+---+-----------------------+---+-----------------+---+
| **Fire Department:** |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
+----------------------+---+---+-----------------------+---+-----------------+---+
| **Ambulance:**       |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
+----------------------+---+---+-----------------------+---+-----------------+---+
| **Police             |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
| Department:**        |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
+----------------------+---+---+-----------------------+---+-----------------+---+
| **Repair             |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
| Contractor:**        |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
+----------------------+---+---+-----------------------+---+-----------------+---+
| **Other Contacts:**  |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
+----------------------+---+---+-----------------------+---+-----------------+---+
|                      |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
+----------------------+---+---+-----------------------+---+-----------------+---+
|                      |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
+----------------------+---+---+-----------------------+---+-----------------+---+
|                      |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
+----------------------+---+---+-----------------------+---+-----------------+---+
|                      |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
+----------------------+---+---+-----------------------+---+-----------------+---+
| ** Release Response |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
| Checklist**          |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
+----------------------+---+---+-----------------------+---+-----------------+---+
| -   **Stop the       |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     release:** Take  |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     immediate action |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     to prevent the   |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     release of more  |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     product. Turn    |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     off the power to |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     the dispenser    |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     and bag the      |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     nozzle. Make     |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     sure you know    |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     where your       |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     emergency        |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     shutoff switch   |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     is located.      |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     Empty the tank,  |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     if necessary,    |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     without further  |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     contaminating    |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     the site.        |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|                      |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
| ```{=html}           |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
| <!-- -->             |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
| ```                  |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
| -   **Contain the    |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     release:**       |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     Contain, absorb, |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     and clean up any |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     surface          |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     releases.        |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     Identify any     |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     fire, explosion, |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     or vapor hazards |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     and take action  |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     to neutralize    |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     these hazards.   |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|                      |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
| ```{=html}           |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
| <!-- -->             |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
| ```                  |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
| -   **Call for help  |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     and to report    |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     suspected or     |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     confirmed        |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     releases:**      |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     Contact your     |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     local fire or    |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     emergency        |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     response         |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     authority.       |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     Contact your     |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     state's          |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     underground      |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     storage tank     |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     regulatory       |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     authority within |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
|     24 hours.        |   |   |                       |   |                 |   |
+----------------------+---+---+-----------------------+---+-----------------+---+