Source: http://rules.sos.ga.gov/gac/391-3-15
Timestamp: 2017-05-25 23:54:47
Document Index: 179834014

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 12', '§ 12', '§ 12', 'art 280', 'art 280', 'art 280', 'art 280', '§ 280', '§ 3152', '§ 6991', '§ 101', '§ 9601', '§ 280', 'art 280', '§ 280', '§ 280', '§ 280', 'art 280', 'art 280', 'art 280', '§ 280', 'art 280', '§ 280', 'art 280', 'art 280', '§ 280', '§ 280', '§ 12', '§ 280', '§ 280', '§ 12', 'art 280', '§ 280', '§ 12', '§ 12', '§ 12', '§ 12', '§ 12', '§ 12', '§ 12', '§ 12', '§ 12', '§ 101', '§ 280', '§ 12']

Purpose. These Rules and Regulations (Rules) are promulgated for
the purpose of protecting and enhancing the quality of Georgia's environment
and of protecting the public health, safety, and well-being of its citizens,
and of instituting and maintaining a comprehensive Statewide program for the
management of regulated substances stored in underground tanks.
Authority. (a)
These Rules are issued under the
authority of the Georgia Underground Storage Tank Act (GUSTA), Official Code of
Georgia Annotated (O.C.G.A.) § 12-13-1et seq.
(1988), as amended.
The Director of the Environmental Protection Division (Director) or his
authorized representative or an authorized contractor or agent of the
Department upon presentation of his credentials, shall have a right to enter
upon, into or through premises of persons subject to GUSTA, or premises whereon
a violation of GUSTA or these Rules is reasonably believed to be occurring or
causing impact or is reasonably believed to be about to occur or cause impact.
The Director or his authorized representative shall have the right to
investigate, take samples, copy all records relating to underground storage
tanks, and inspect in accordance with the following purposes: 1.
to determine whether any person subject to
the requirements of GUSTA is in compliance with these Rules;
to investigate conditions relating to
underground storage tanks (UST) or UST management practices where the Director
is in possession of information sufficient to form a reasonable belief that a
violation of GUSTA or these Rules is occurring or is about to occur;
to determine whether there
has been a violation of any of the provisions of GUSTA or these Rules, or any
permit or order issued pursuant to GUSTA and these Rules.
In the event any person does not consent
to an inspection or investigation, the Director or his authorized
representative may seek to obtain a warrant authorizing the inspection or
investigation pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 12-13-8(b) and
§ 12-2-2(d).
EPD or its contractors may enter upon the
property of the owner or operator, at such time and in such manner as deemed
necessary, to effectuate the necessary corrective action to protect health and
an authorized employee of the Department, or an authorized contractor or agent
of the Department, upon presentation of his or her credentials, shall have a
right to enter upon, to, or through premises of persons subject to GUSTA or
premises whereon a release of a regulated substance in violation of GUSTA or
the rules and regulations adopted pursuant to GUSTA is reasonably believed to
be occurring or is reasonably believed to have previously occurred to
investigate, take samples, copy all records relating to storage of regulated
substances in underground storage tanks, and inspect for compliance with the
requirements imposed under GUSTA or these Rules, or any permit or order issued
pursuant to GUSTA or these Rules in order to determine whether such a current
release or past release exists and to conduct appropriate corrective action for
any release which may currently exist or may have existed.
Reference. (a)
Any reference in these Rules to
standards, procedures, and requirements of Title 40 of the Code of Federal
Regulations (40 CFR) Part 280 (2000) shall constitute the full adoption by
reference of the Part, Subpart, and Paragraph so referenced including any notes
and appendices as may be associated, unless otherwise stated.
When used in any such provisions as may
be adopted from 40 CFR Part 280 (2000): implementing agency or state
implementing agency shall mean Environmental Protection Division (EPD); and
Regional Administrator or Director of the implementing agency shall mean
Director of the Environmental Protection Division. Unless specifically
indicated otherwise, any reference to implementation by, submissions to, or
inspections, investigations or enforcement by the EPA in such Regulations as
may be adopted by reference by these Rules shall be construed to mean EPD
unless such interpretation would be inconsistent with the intent of the Georgia
Underground Storage Tank Act (GUSTA).
Any reference in 40 CFR Part 280 (2000),
or in any provisions adopted by reference from 40 CFR Part 280 (2000), to EPA
forms or reports shall mean EPD forms and reports as may be provided by the
Rule 391-3-15-.02 Definitions, UST Exclusions, and UST Deferrals
Definitions. 40 CFR §§ 280.12 and
280.92(2000) are
hereby incorporated by reference. The following words or terms shall have the
meanings set forth herein when used in these Rules: (a)
"Board" means the Board of Natural
Resources of the State of Georgia.
"Control of" means either the right or
authority to govern receipt or removal from an underground storage tank any
regulated substances.
"Controlling interest" means direct or indirect ownership of at least 50
percent of the voting stock of another entity.
"Corrective action" means those
activities required for response to and cleanup of releases of regulated
substances from underground storage tanks, including, but not limited to,
initial response, initial abatement measures and site check, initial site
characterization, free product removal, investigations for soil and groundwater
cleanup, and preparation and implementation of a corrective action
Department of Natural Resources of the State of Georgia.
Environmental Protection Division of the Department of Natural
"EPD" means the
Environmental Protection Division of the Department of Natural Resources of the
"Federal Act"
means the Solid Waste Disposal Act,
42 U.S.C., § 3152et seq., as amended,
particularly by the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments of 1984,
98-616,
42 USC, § 6991et seq., as amended by
99-499, 1986, as further amended by
109-58, 2005.
"Guarantor" means any person, other than
the owner or operator, who provides evidence of financial responsibility for an
means anyone who distributes petroleum product from a bulk storage plant to an
UST owner or operator, or purchases petroleum product from a terminal for
distribution to an UST owner or operator.
"Nonoperational storage tank" means any
UST in which regulated substances were not deposited or from which regulated
substances were not dispensed after November 8, 1984.
"Operator" means any person in control
of, or having responsibility for, the daily operation of an UST. The category
of "Operator" is further classified and defined as either Operator A; Operator
B; or Operator C, depending upon the level of control and training as required
by section 9010(a) of the Solid Waste Disposal Act as amended by the Energy
Policy Act of 2005 and the "Grant Guidelines To States For Implementing The
Operator Training Provision of the Energy Policy Act of 2005" published by the
federal Environmental Protection Agency in August 2007. Any reference in these
Rules that does not designate a specific category of operator shall be deemed
to include the persons defined as a "Class A Operator" and a "Class B Operator"
unless specifically excluded. The specific criteria for classification of the
Class A, B or C Operator are as follow: 1.
Class A Operator- An individual who has primary responsibility to operate and
maintain the underground storage tank system. The Class A operator's
responsibilities include managing resources and personnel to achieve and
maintain compliance with UST regulatory requirements as required under these
Rules or GUSTA.
Operator- An individual who has responsibility for implementing daily
operations, maintenance and record keeping for one or more UST facilities. The
Class B Operator's responsibilities include knowledge of release detection
methods; release prevention equipment; all relevant equipment for compliance
standards, record keeping; reporting requirements and training personnel for
appropriate response to UST emergencies as required under these Rules or
Class C Operator - An
individual who is the first line of response to events indicating UST emergency
conditions, including but not limited to, takingappropriate action in response
to emergencies or alarms caused by spills or releases from an UST
means, in the case of an UST system in use on November 8, 1984, or brought into
use or capable of being used after that date, any person who owns an UST system
used for or capable of being used for the storage or dispensing of regulated
substances and, in the case of any UST system in use before November 8, 1984,
but no longer in use or capable of being used on or after November 8, 1984, any
person who owned such UST immediately before the discontinuation of its use;
provided, however, such term shall not include any person who, without
participating in the management of an underground storage tank and otherwise
not engaged in petroleum production, refining, and marketing, holds indicia of
ownership primarily to protect that person's security interest in the
"Participating owner or operator" means an owner or operator of an UST who
participates in the GUST Trust Fund as a financial assurance
"Person" means an
individual, trust, firm, joint-stock company, joint-venture, corporation,
including a government corporation, partnership, association, municipality,
commission, political subdivision, or any agency, board, department, or bureau
of this State or of any other state or of the Federal government.
"Petroleum" means petroleum, including
crude oil or any fraction thereof which is liquid at standard conditions of
temperature and pressure (60 degrees Fahrenheit and 14.7 pounds per square inch
"Petroleum product"
means petroleum, including gasoline, gasohol, diesel fuel, fuel oils including
#2 fuel oil, kerosene, and jet turbine fuel.
"Plume" means the area of groundwater
containing concentrations of petroleum constituents or other regulated
substances above Estimated Quantitation Limits as established in Test Methods
for Evaluating Solid Waste (United States Environmental Protection Agency,
Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, SW-846, Third Edition, as
revised) or in an alternate method approved by EPD.
"Regulated substance" means any substance
defined in § 101(14) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation and Liability Act of 1980,
42 U.S.C., § 9601, as amended by
99-499, 1986, et seq., and
petroleum, including crude oil or any fraction thereof which is liquid at the
standard conditions of temperature and pressure (60 degrees Fahrenheit and 14.7
pounds per square inch absolute), but not including any substance regulated as
a hazardous waste under the Georgia Hazardous Waste Management Act, O.C.G.A.
12-8-60, as amended.
means any spilling, leaking, emitting, discharging, escaping, leaching, or
disposing from an UST into groundwater, surface water, or subsurface
"Release Response"
means, in addition to certain corrective action activities, those actions taken
as initial response, initial abatement measures and site check, initial site
characterization, and free product removal.
"Responsibility for" means either the
right or authority to close an UST or maintain and repair an UST or take action
for compliance with all or part of the requirements of GUSTA and these
"Terminal" means a bulk
storage facility for storing petroleum products supplied by pipeline or marine
"Third party liability"
insofar as GUST Trust Fund usage is concerned means liability for bodily injury
or property damage caused directly by a release of petroleum products from an
underground storage tank; however, it does not include or mean any liability
for bodily injury or property damage to the person or property of the owner of
the real property on which the USTs are located. 1.
As to bodily injury, specific physical
bodily injury proximately resulting from exposure, explosion, or fire caused by
the presence of a release from a regulated underground storage tank and which
is incurred by a person other than the owner or operator, the landlord of the
owner or operator, employees or agent of an owner or operator, or employees or
agents of the landlord of an owner or operator; and
As to property damage, actual physical
damage or damage due to specific loss of normal use of property owned by a
person other than either the owner or operator of an underground storage tank
from which a release has occurred or the landlord of an owner or operator of
the underground storage tank from which a release has occurred.
"Trustee" means the Director
of the Environmental Protection Division of the Department of Natural
"Underground storage
tank" or "UST" means any one or combination of tanks, including underground
pipes connected thereto, which is used to contain an accumulation of regulated
substances and the volume of which, including the volume of the underground
pipes connected thereto, is 10 percent or more beneath the surface of the
"UST system" or "Tank
System" means an underground storage tank and its associated ancillary
equipment and containment system, if any.
UST Exclusions. The term
"underground storage tank" or "UST" does not include any: (a)
Farm or residential tank of 1,100 gallons
or less capacity used for storing motor fuel for noncommercial
Tank used for storing
heating oil for consumptive use on the premises where stored;
Pipeline facility (including gathering
lines) which is regulated under: 1.
Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act of 1968 (49 U.S.C. App. 1671 et
seq.), or
Liquid Pipeline Safety Act of 1979 (49 U.S.C. App. 2001 et
intrastate pipeline facility regulated under State laws comparable to the
provisions of the law referred to in subparagraph (d)1. or (d)2. of this
impoundment, pit, pond, or lagoon;
Storm water or wastewater collection
Liquid trap or associated
gathering lines directly related to oil or gas production and gathering
situated in an underground area (such as a basement, cellar, mineworking,
drift, shaft, or tunnel) if the storage tank is situated upon or above the
system holding hazardous wastes listed or identified under Subtitle C of the
Solid Waste Disposal Act, or a mixture of such hazardous waste and other
Wastewater treatment tank system that is part of a wastewater treatment
facility regulated under section 402 or 307(b) of the Clean Water
that contains regulated substances for operational purposes such as hydraulic
lift tank and electrical equipment tank;
UST system whose capacity is 110 gallons
UST system that
contains a "de minimis" concentration of regulated substances;
Emergency spill or overflow containment
UST system that is expeditiously emptied after use; or
Pipes connected to any tank which is
described in subparagraphs (a) through (o) of this definition.
UST Deferrals.
40 CFR § 280.10(c) and (d) (2000) are
Lender Liability. 40 CFR
Part 280, Subpart I (2000), as added by 60 Fed. Reg. 173 (September 7, 1995),
Rule 391-3-15-.03 Confidentiality of Information
records, reports, or information obtained from any person by the Director under
these Rules shall be available to the public for inspection and copying at the
expense of the person requesting copies, except that upon a showing
satisfactory to the Director by any person that any records, reports, or
information or any particular part thereof, to which the Director has access
under these rules would, if made public, divulge information entitled to
protection or confidentiality under GUSTA, the Director shall consider
confidential such information or any particular portion thereof in accordance
with the purposes of GUSTA. However, such records, reports, documents, or
information may be disclosed to officers, employees or authorized
representatives of the United States government or the State of Georgia
concerned with carrying out the terms of the Federal Act, or when required by
any court in any proceedings under the Federal Act or under GUSTA.
Any claim of confidentiality filed
pursuant to this section must be asserted at the time of initial submission of
the record, report, or information in question, or it shall be deemed
Any claim of
confidentiality filed pursuant to this section must be accompanied by a
statement of the legal basis supporting the claim of confidentiality.
Rule 391-3-15-.04 Interim Prohibition for Deferred UST Systems
§ 280.11(2000) is
280, Subpart B (2000) is hereby incorporated by reference.
For purposes of performance standards for
new UST systems, as required in
40 CFR § 280.20(d) (2000), any tank
previously installed and subsequently removed must be recertified by the
manufacturer or by an authorized representative of the manufacturer or by a
Georgia-registered Professional Engineer and shall comply with the secondary
containment requirements in accordance with
391-3-15-.07 prior to installation
as an UST.
notification of USTs, as required in
40 CFR § 280.22(2000), owners shall
use forms as prescribed by the Director.
Annual Registration of USTs. (a)
Initially on or before May 1, 1995, and
annually thereafter on or before September 1, beginning September 1, 1996, the
owner or operator of an UST for which notification should have previously been
submitted pursuant to O.C.G.A. 12-13-13 and which has not been properly closed
391-3-15-.11, but is in use or
capable of being used, shall submit to EPD an annual UST
The annual UST
notification shall be submitted by the UST owner for all USTs at all UST
facilities on forms furnished by EPD and shall provide such information as may
reasonably be required by EPD which, at a minimum, shall include: 1.
Name and address of facility at which USTs
owner and current Class A and Class B operators of USTs at the facility
location in 1., immediately above;
Size and identification of USTs at the
facility location indicated in 1. above; 4.
Certification that the financial responsibility requirements of Rule
391-3-15-.12 have been met and the
mechanism utilized to provide such financial responsibility; and
If the mechanism is the Georgia
Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund, the financial assurance mechanism used for
the $10,000 deductible.
Changes in owners, operators, upgrades,
replacement of UST systems and changes in service from either the initial
notification form filed or from the last annual notification filed, whichever
Method of annual
leak detection for lines and USTs.
Verification that spill and overfill
devices and, if applicable, corrosion protection mechanisms are properly
installed and operationally functional.
Verification that all new or replaced
USTs, piping or motor fuel dispensers have been properly installed and meet the
secondary containment and interstitial monitoring requirements set forth in
391-3-15-.07.
If an UST is brought into service during
the year, a confirmation of annual UST notification for the facility for the
year in which the UST was brought into service shall be issued by EPD after the
receipt of the initial notification of USTs, as required under paragraph
391-3-15-.05 (1).
The confirmation of annual UST
notification form, as provided by EPD, for each underground storage tank
facility shall be conspicuously posted and displayed at each UST facility, an
alternate location approved by EPD or a copy of such form shall be provided by
the facility to each person placing regulated substances into the UST. It shall
be a violation of O.C.G.A. 12-13-5 and these Rules to either fail to file an
annual UST notification or to fail to conspicuously post and display the
confirmation of the annual UST notification at an UST facility or provide a
copy such that any person placing regulated substances in an UST can determine
that the confirmation of annual UST notification is current.
Beginning 180 days from the effective
date of these Rules, no person may place a regulated substance in a regulated
UST unless they have verified that the facility has a valid confirmation of
annual UST notification form. Such verification shall be performed on or after
September 1, 1995, and annually thereafter beginning on January 1 of each
40 CFR Part 280, Subpart C (2000) is
In addition to the operating requirements
of 40 CFR Part 280, Subpart C (2000), owners and operators shall maintain
records of any UST replacements and new motor fuel delivery dispensers as
391-3-15-.07 in accordance with any
applicable record retention requirement in these Rules.
280, Subpart D (2000), is hereby incorporated by reference.
Any owner or operator shall, upon request
from EPD, certify on forms prescribed by the Director that the UST facility of
the owner or operator is in compliance with release detection requirements as
promulgated in 40 CFR Part 280, Subpart D (2000).
391-3-15-.07(1),
secondary containment, including interstitial monitoring, is required for all
new or replaced USTs and associated piping either put into service or replaced
after the effective date of this rule, including new or replaced USTs and
piping used for emergency power generation, unless the owner or operator
provides such information as may be reasonably required by EPD and certifies on
forms as provided by the Director that such new or replaced UST or associated
piping, or any part thereof, is more than 1,000 feet from any existing
community water system or any existing potable drinking water well or any
portions thereof, as hereinafter defined, notwithstanding the deferral provided
in 40 CFR § 280.10(d) as incorporated in
these Rules by Rule
391-3-15-.02(3).
Secondary containment systems for either USTs or associated piping as required
herein must be designed, constructed and installed so as to be compatible with
and capable of containing the regulated substances from the associated UST and
piping until said regulated substances are detected and removed; prevent any
release of any regulated substance into the environment at any time during the
operational life of the UST system; and must be monitored for evidence of any
release into the interstice at least every 30 days. As used in this rule and
elsewhere in these Rules, the following words or terms shall have the meanings
set forth herein: (a)
"Piping", in addition
to the meaning provided elsewhere in these Rules shall also mean any elbows,
couplings, unions, valves, or other in-line fixtures that contain and convey
regulated substances from the underground storage tank(s) to the dispensers;
however, it does not mean vent, vapor recovery or fill lines that do not
routinely contain regulated substances, nor does it mean piping used to
manifold underground storage tanks together or suction piping systems that have
only one check valve under the dispenser and are sloped back toward the
"Interstitial monitoring" shall have the meaning as set forth at
280.43(g) (2000), provided;
however, any interstitial electronic monitoring system must be tested annually
in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications to verify the accuracy of
"Replace" when
referring to an underground storage tank means the removal of an existing UST
and the installation of another UST in its place.
"Replace" when referring to piping means
the removal and replacement of 25% or more of the existing piping, as measured
along an existing piping run between the submersible pump connection for
pressurized pump systems or UST surface for suction pump systems to the bottom
of the shear valve below the dispenser.
"Community Water System" means a system
for the provision of water to the public for human consumption through pipes
or, after August 5, 1998, other constructed conveyances, if such system has at
individuals daily at least 60 days out of the year. Such term includes any
collection, treatment, storage, and distribution facilities under control of
the operator of such system; and, used primarily in connection with such
system; and any collection or pretreatment storage systems not under such
control which are used primarily in connection with such system.
"Potable drinking water well" means any
hole (dug, driven, drilled or bored) that extends into the earth until it meets
ground water which: 1)
supplies water for a
non-community public water system or
otherwise supplies water for household use
(consisting of drinking, bathing, and cooking or other similar uses) regardless
of the number of users of water supplied from said well.
391-3-15-.07(1) and
(3), under-dispenser containment is required
for all new motor fuel dispensers either put into service or replaced after the
effective date of this rule, unless the owner or operator provides such
information as may be reasonably required by EPD and certifies on forms as
provided by the Director that such new motor fuel dispenser, is more than 1,000
feet from any existing community water system or any existing potable drinking
water well or any portions thereof, as defined in Rule
391-3-15-.07(3).
Under-dispenser containment systems as required herein must be designed,
constructed and installed so as to be compatible with and contain the regulated
substances conveyed from the associated UST by the piping until said regulated
substances are detected and removed; prevent any release of any regulated
substance into the environment at any time during the operational life of the
containment system; must be liquid-tight on all sides, bottom and all
penetrations sealed to contain leakage of regulated substances and must be able
to be visually inspected or monitored annually for evidence of any leakage into
the containment system. As used in this rule and elsewhere in these Rules, the
following words or terms shall have the meanings set forth herein: (a)
"New motor fuel dispenser" means either a
fuel dispenser is installed at a location where there previously was no
dispenser or an existing dispenser is removed and replaced with another
dispenser including the bottom portion of the shear valve and any of the
equipment, including but not limited to flexible connectors, check valves,
risers, or other transitional connection equipment, used to connect the
dispenser to the underground storage tank system.
"Motor Fuel Dispenser" means a device
connected to a UST system for the dispensing of petroleum or a petroleum based
substance that is motor gasoline, aviation gasoline, No.1 or No. 2 diesel fuel,
or any grade of gasohol, bio-diesel, ethanol/gasoline blend and is typically
used in the operation of a motor engine.
40 CFR Part 280, Subpart E (2000) is hereby incorporated by
280, Subpart F (2000) is hereby incorporated by reference.
Corrective action plans (CAPs), Part A
for reporting completed release response activities and for summarizing the
proposed site investigation, including a schedule for submittal of a CAP - Part
B, and Part B for reporting the results of the site investigation and for
summarizing the proposed soil and groundwater corrective action objectives and
the activities required to meet those objectives, shall be submitted to the
Division on such forms as provided by the Environmental Protection Division,
Georgia Department of Natural Resources. The plans must include certifications
by the UST owner or operator, in the format specified, that the plans are
factual and meet all the criteria and requirements of these Rules and other
environmental laws and regulations of the State of Georgia. The plans must also
be stamped or sealed by a Georgia-registered Professional Engineer or
Professional Geologist. The Corrective Action Plan - Part A shall be submitted
in lieu of the initial abatement report, the initial site characterization
report, and the free product removal report, as referenced by
40 CFR §§ 280.62(b),
280.63(b), and
280.64(d)
(2000), respectively, and must be submitted
to EPD within 60 days after release confirmation.
A Corrective Action Plan - Part B must be
submitted when one or more of the conditions listed in subparagraphs (a)
through (e) below are encountered: (a)
product exceeds one-eighth inch (1/8") thickness or an alternate thickness, as
required by EPD;
surface water contamination exceeds federal and state in-stream water quality
standards, as established by the Georgia Rules for Water Quality Control
(Chapter 391-3-6, as amended);
Groundwater contamination exceeds federal and state Maximum Contaminant Levels
for Safe Drinking Water, and either; (i)
plume is located in an area of average or higher groundwater pollution
susceptibility, as defined by the Ground-Water Pollution Susceptibility Map of
Georgia (Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Environmental Protection
Division, Georgia Geologic Survey, 1992), within two (2) miles of a point of
withdrawal for a public water system, as defined in the Georgia Rules for Safe
Drinking Water (Chapter 391-3-5, as amended), and/or within one-half (1/2) mile
of a point of withdrawal for a non-public water system; or
The plume is located in an area of lower
groundwater pollution susceptibility within one (1) mile of a point of
withdrawal for a public water system and/or within one-quarter (1/4) mile of a
point of withdrawal for a non-public water system;
Concentrations of volatile organic
compounds and/or polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, as appropriate, in soil
exceed: (i)
Threshold levels listed in Table
Threshold levels listed
in Table B; or
threshold levels, as approved by EPD. Table APetroleum Constituents
and Soil Threshold Levelsa At UST corrective
action sites where withdrawal points for public and nonpublic water supplies do
not exist within distances defined in GUST Rule
391-3-15-.09(3):
AVERAGE OR HIGHER GROUNDWATER POLLUTION
SUSCEPTIBILITY AREAb (Where public water supplies
exist with 2.0 miles and/or non-public supplies exist within 0.5 miles)
LOWER GROUNDWATER POLLUTION SUSCEPTIBILITY
AREAc (Where public water supplies exist within 1.0
mile and/or non-public supplies exist within 0.25 mile)
>500 feet to withdrawal
0.005 mg/kdd
20.00 mg/kd
0.660 mg/kdd
0.820 mg/kdd
1.60 mg/kddf
0.660 mg/kddf
1.50 mg/kddf
Based on worst-case assumptions for one-dimensional
vadose zone and groundwater contaminant fate and transport models.
Based on an assumed distance of 0.5 feet between
contaminated soils and the water table.
Estimated Quantitation Limit. The health-based
threshold level is less than the laboratory method limit of detection.
Not applicable. The health-based threshold level
exceeds the expected soil concentration under free product condition.
In order to protect surface waters, the soil
threshold level in Table B may supersede that found in Table A.
In the presence of other petroleum contaminants in
concentrations exceeding 1.0 mg/kg the Estimated Quantitation Limit, and hence
the soil threshold level, may be substantially greater, as approved by
Table BPetroleum Constituents
and Soil Thresholda Levels At other UST
corrective action sites where withdrawal points for public and nonpublic water
supplies do not exist within distances defined in GUST Rule
SUSCEPTIBILITY AREAb
=500 feet to surface
0.660 mg/kd
Based on an assumed distance of 5.0 feet between
concentrations exceeding 1.0 mg/kg, the Estimated Quantitation Limit, and hence
the solid threshold level, may be substantially greater, as approved by
EPD has determined that, because of
unique geologic, hydrologic or other site-specific conditions, a Corrective
Action Plan - Part B is necessary to adequately protect human health and the
Corrective Action Plan - Part B must be proposed in compliance with paragraph
391-3-15-.09 (3) above, the full
extent of groundwater and surface water contamination must be delineated and
one or more of the following corrective action objectives for contaminated
soil, surface water, and groundwater, as applicable, in subparagraphs (a)
through (d) below must be proposed and implemented upon approval by EPD: (a)
Remediate soil contamination that exceeds
the threshold levels listed in Table A or Table B or exceeds alternate
threshold levels approved by EPD, as applicable;
Remediate free product that exceeds
one-eighth inch (1/8") thickness or an alternate thickness, as approved by
Remediate groundwater
contamination that exceeds federal and state Maximum Contaminant Levels where
drinking water supplies exist within the distances defined in subparagraph
(3)(c)(i) or (ii) above, as applicable, or that exceeds in-stream water quality
standards, as applicable, or alternate concentration limits as required by
Determine alternate
concentration limits for soil and groundwater corrective action through the use
of an appropriate risk assignment, as determined by EPD, that demonstrates that
the objectives in (a) and (c) above are not necessary to protect human health
and the environment. The request for alternate concentration limits must
explain clearly and concisely how these alternate concentration limits will
adequately protect human health, safety, and the environment and shall not be
utilized unless approved by EPD. Upon approval of proposed alternate
concentration limits by EPD, the owner or operator must either: 1.
Remediate contaminated soils and/or
groundwater to approved alternate concentration limits and monitor the soils
and/or the plume to validate and verify predictions of the risk assessment,
including the natural degradation of petroleum contaminants, unless such
monitoring is deemed unnecessary by EPD; or
If remediation of contaminated soils
and/or groundwater is not necessary, monitor the soils and/or the plume to
validate and verify predictions of the risk assessment, including the natural
degradation of petroleum contaminants, unless such monitoring is deemed
unnecessary by EPD;
An owner or operator may transport or
provide for transportation of petroleum contaminated soil only to storage,
treatment or disposal facilities which have all applicable local, state and
federal permits and such facility or facilities shall be designated in the
applicable corrective action plan.
Upon completion of corrective action, the
UST owner or operator must certify in the completion report, in the format
specified, that the CAP was implemented completely and correctly and that the
objectives of the corrective action have been achieved.
An owner or operator conducting a
corrective action with funds from a source other than the Georgia Underground
Storage Tank Trust Fund, may remediate contaminated soil or groundwater to more
stringent objectives than those of paragraph
391-3-15-.09 (4) at the owner or
operator's discretion.
determinations of petroleum contaminants in soil or groundwater must be
performed in conformity with Test Methods for Evaluating Solid Waste (United
States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency
Response, SW-846, Third Edition, as revised) or with an alternate method, as
approved by EPD.
The provisons of Rule
391-3-15-.09 shall apply, except
that cleanup concentrations for leaked hazardous substances shall be equal to
or less than the background level of that constituent in the soil or water
immediately prior to the release of that constituent, as measured immediately
upgradient of the UST and unaffected by the release, or an alternate
concentration limit as established by EPD, or if a hazardous waste when leaked,
in accordance with O.C.G.A. 12-8-60, the Georgia Hazardous Waste Management
40 CFR Part 280, Subpart G (2000) is
The owner or operator, or past owner or
operator, of an UST system, in service on or after January 1, 1974, but taken
out of service or abandoned before December 22, 1988, must close the UST
system, as required by EPD, in accordance with 40 CFR Part 280, Subpart G
For all UST systems
permanently closed after the effective date of these rules, a closure report,
prepared on such forms as provided by EPD, must be submitted to EPD by the
owner within 45 days of completion of closure.
40 CFR §§ 280.90 -
280.99 and
280.102 -
280.111(2000) are
requirements of financial responsibility, as described in
40 CFR § 280.93(2000), for
underground storage tanks located in Georgia by participating in the liability
limitations and reimbursement benefits of the Georgia Underground Storage Tank
(GUST) Trust Fund, in accordance with Rule
391-3-15-.13.
Funding the GUST Trust Fund. 1.
Environmental Assurance Fee (EAF).
In order to participate in the liability limitations and reimbursement
benefits of the GUST Trust Fund, commencing on July 1, 1988, an UST owner or
operator shall pay to EPD an EAF on each gallon of petroleum products imported
into Georgia. The EAF was 0.1¢ per gallon from July 1, 1988, through
September 30, 1991; 0.2¢ per gallon from October 1, 1991, through
September 30, 1996; 0.5¢ per gallon from October 1, 1996 through June 30,
2013; and the EAF is 0.75¢ per gallon effective July 1, 2013. This fee is
established to assure the funding of emergency, preventive, or corrective
actions necessary when public health or safety is, or potentially may be,
threatened from a release of regulated substances from an UST and to provide
compensation for third-party liability. (i)
Point of EAF Collection. This fee shall be collected by the
terminal operator or jobber upon request of the UST owner or operator when the
petroleum product is removed from a terminal, or if the petroleum product will
never be stored in a terminal in Georgia, then by the importer thereof and paid
to EPD. Proof of such payment shall be provided the UST owner or operator by
the terminal operator or jobber. Exchanges of petroleum products on a
gallon-for-gallon basis within a terminal shall be exempt from this fee.
Petroleum product which is subsequently exported from Georgia is exempt from
this fee. An UST owner or operator purchasing petroleum products from an
out-of-state terminal operator or jobber must remit the EAF directly to EPD,
unless the terminal operator or jobber agrees to remit the EAF for the owner or
Remittance. EAFs shall be remitted to EPD quarterly. Terminal operators
remitting collected EAFs may be required to provide EPD with a list(s) of
owners or operators who elected or declined payment of EAFs. Fees are due to
EPD on the 20th day of each October, January, April, and July for the previous
three month period. The EAF payment shall be accompanied by such forms as may
be prescribed by the Director. If a terminal operator, direct importer or
direct pay owner or operator has good cause for an extension of time, he may
apply to the Director for additional time to file his EAF payment. Such
application must be made to the Director before the payment becomes delinquent
and must state all facts giving rise to the necessity for additional time. If
the Director grants an extension, such extension may not exceed 30
Penalties. All civil penalties recovered by the Director as provided in
O.C.G.A. § 12-13-19 shall be paid into the
GUST Trust Fund.
Establishing GUST Trust Fund Eligibility. 1.
Notification Requirements for UST Systems. In order to participate
in the GUST Trust Fund as a financial assurance mechanism, each owner or
operator of an UST currently in use must have submitted notification forms as
391-3-15-.05(3).
Eligibility For Existing UST
All owners or operators of existing USTs who elect to participate in the
GUST Trust Fund as a financial assurance mechanism under Rule
391-3-15-.12, as of July 1, 1988,
must: (I)
pay the EAF on each gallon of
petroleum product purchased after July 1, 1988; or
the owner or operator purchasing
petroleum product from an out-of-state terminal operator or jobber must remit
the EAF for each gallon thus purchased after July 1, 1988 directly to EPD
unless the terminal operator or jobber agrees to remit the EAF to EPD for the
any known or suspected leaks from an existing UST. Meeting these conditions
automatically makes a tank owner or operator a participant in the GUST Trust
Fund, and no specific notice to EPD is required to confirm such participation.
Any tank owner or operator who elects not to participate in the GUST Trust Fund
must make a written declaration of that election to the Director and to the
terminal operator or jobber.
Subsequent Election. All
owners or operators of existing USTs who elect to participate in the GUST Trust
Fund as a financial assurance mechanism under Rule
391-3-15-.12, ninety (90) or more
days after July 1, 1988, or who elect to participate in the GUST Trust Fund as
a financial assurance mechanism under Rule
391-3-15-.12 after there has been
an interruption in GUST Trust Fund participation subsequent to the initial or
subsequent election to participate either by the current owner or operator or
the current owner or operator's predecessor in title, must: (I)
perform and pass a tank system precision
tightness test, the results of which must be acceptable to EPD;
perform a site check of the UST site in
accordance with 40 CFR
§ 280.52(b) (2000), the
results of which must be acceptable to EPD;
remit to EPD all EAFs which would have
been collected under the provisions of Rule
391-3-15-.13(1)(b)
2.(i), including an amount equal to any
interest which would have accrued to those monies had they been remitted from
July 1, 1988, or from the date of the interruption of participation in the GUST
Trust Fund, as determined by EPD, provided there has not been a release of
petroleum that has not been remediated in accordance with these Rules;
comply with (b)2.(i) of
Subsequent Election for New Owners or Operators. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, in subsection (ii) above, all owners or operators who acquire a
new interest or ownership in existing USTs through purchase or other transfer
of title which are not covered by the GUST Trust Fund as a financial assurance
mechanism as provided under Rule
391-3-15-.12 at the time of the
acquisition may elect to participate in the GUST Trust Fund as a financial
assurance mechanism under Rule
391-3-15-.12 for those USTs so
acquired. The new owner or operator, in order to participate in the GUST Trust
391-3-15-.12, must, within one (1)
year from the date of acquisition: (I)
perform and pass a tank system precision tightness test, the results of which
must be acceptable to EPD;
perform a site check of the UST site in accordance with
40 CFR § 280.52(b) (2000), the
remit to EPD all EAFs from the date of
the acquisition of the USTs by the new owner or operator under the provisions
of Rule 391-3-15-.13(1)(b)
2.(i), provided that prior to the initial EAF
payment herein there has not been a release of petroleum that has not been
remediated in accordance with these Rules;
submit a sworn statement by the new
owner that the owner from whom the USTs are being or were acquired has no
controlling interest in the new owner; and
comply with (b)2.(i) of this
Eligibility For New USTs Installed After July 1, 1988. All owners
or operators of new USTs who elect to participate in the GUST Trust Fund as a
financial assurance mechanism under Rule
391-3-15-.12 must: (i)
comply with all requirements of Rule
391-3-15-.05, Rule
391-3-15-.06 and Rule
391-3-15-.07; and
comply with all requirements under the
2.(i).
Maintaining GUST Trust Fund
Eligibility. In order to maintain eligibility for GUST Trust Fund
disbursements, all participating owners or operators of UST systems must
satisfy the following requirements: 1.
Reporting Changes in UST Status. The participating owner or
operator shall notify EPD in writing of any of the following changes in UST
status: (i)
change in ownership; or
Payment of EAF. Payment of
EAFs must be made for each UST until such time as closure requirements are
The participating owner or operator shall maintain the following records
for each UST and make them available to EPD: (i)
records of any tank system tightness
tests as required in
391-3-15-.13 (1)(b);
receipts for any and all EAF payments,
whether remitted directly or indirectly to EPD;
records of compliance with operator
training and examination, release detection, secondary
containment, interstitial monitoring and under dispenser containment
requirements per Rule
391-3-15-.07 and
391-3-15-.16; and
proof of payment of EAFs as required by
O.C.G.A. § 12-13-18(a)for
the time period prior to September, 2000, is presumed from the filing of the
Annual Tank Registration form for 2001, in accordance with Rule
391-3-15-.05(4),
indicating that the method of Financial Responsibility for the USTs at the time
of filing was participation in the GUST Trust Fund as provided in Rule
391-3-15-.12, if payment of the
most recent EAF for the registered tank has been made. This presumption shall
be overcome and no longer effective if payment of such fees cannot be verified
by records of EPD, the station owner, the UST owner or operator, or the
terminal operator, maintained in accordance with Rule
391-3-15-.13(1)(c)
4.(i) or any other relevant provision of
any records as may be
required by EPD.
records identified in (c)3. above shall be retained for a period of thirty-six
(36) months or until one of the following is accomplished, whichever comes
first: (I)
ownership of an UST, and all
records pertaining thereto, are transferred to a new owner for retention;
owner or operator is
instructed otherwise by EPD.
Reporting of Suspected Leaks or
Spills. The participating owner or operator shall report to EPD any
suspected leak or spill of petroleum product.
Loss of GUST Trust Fund Coverage.
Whenever the Director has reason to believe that a participating owner
or operator has failed to maintain GUST Trust Fund eligibility pursuant to
these Rules, the Director shall issue a notice of violation. The participating
owner or operator shall have 30 days from receipt of such notice to provide
evidence of compliance with all GUST Trust Fund eligibility requirements or
take all necessary steps to correct such violation. If, after 30 days, the
participating owner or operator fails to resolve the notice of violation, the
Director shall issue a notice of termination of GUST Trust Fund eligibility.
Within 60 days of such notice of termination, the owner or operator must
provide an alternate financial assurance mechanism.
Amount and Scope of GUST Trust Fund
The GUST Trust Fund will
provide, to participating owners or operators, coverage for release response
and corrective action, as identified in 40 CFR Part 280, Subpart F (2000), and
for compensation of third parties for bodily injury and property damage caused
by accidental releases arising from operating regulated petroleum product USTs
not to exceed $1 million per occurrence cumulatively. For purposes of Rule
391-3-15-.13, the term "occurrence"
shall mean any unexpected or unintended sudden or nonsudden release of
petroleum product arising from operating an UST that results in a need for
corrective action, bodily injury, or property damage. (i)
Any property owner shall not be
considered a third-party claimant if the property was transferred to that
property owner by the owner or operator of an underground storage tank after a
release where damages could be reasonably anticipated;
Third-party liability property damage
shall be reimbursed from the GUST Trust Fund based on the rental costs of
comparable property during the period of loss of use up to a maximum amount
equal to the fair market value. In the case of property that is actually
destroyed as a result of a petroleum release, reimbursement shall be an amount
necessary to replace or repair the destroyed property, whichever is less;
Payments for third-party
liability damages, as defined in these Rules, shall never exceed the amount of
the GUST Trust Fund coverage as provided in these Rules for any owner or
operator and shall not include payments for any claims for attorney's fees for
third-party claimants or claims for punitive damages or mental
Trust Fund will provide, to participating owners or operators, annual aggregate
coverage for release response and corrective action and for compensation of
releases arising from operating petroleum product USTs not to exceed
cumulatively the following amounts: (i)
participating owners or operators of one to 100 petroleum product USTs, $1
owners or operators of 101 or more petroleum product USTs, $2
participating owner or operator shall be liable for the first $10,000 of
release response and corrective action costs and third party liability claims
per occurrence and be totally responsible for any replacement or retrofitting
or both of affected tanks and associated piping. The participating owner or
operator must demonstrate financial responsibility for the first $10,000 of
per occurrence by an allowable financial assurance mechanism as described in
40 CFR §§ 280.95 -
280.99,
280.102, and
280.103(2000).
The State of Georgia and the GUST Trust
Fund shall have no liability for loss of business, damages, or taking of
property associated with any release response or corrective action.
Whenever the trustee of the GUST Trust
Fund determines that all costs eligible for payment, both release response and
corrective action costs and third-party liability claims, may exceed the
per-occurrence or aggregate coverages, the first priority for payment shall be
the corrective action costs necessary to protect human health and the
environment. The trustee shall pay third-party liability claims in the order in
which the trustee received valid court orders under Rule
391-3-15-.13(1)(h)
If a corrective action is to be conducted
using funds from the Georgia Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund, the
corrective action will not extend substantially beyond the target objectives of
Rule 391-3-15-.09(4).
If a participating owner or operator desires to have the corrective action
scope go beyond these objectives, the owner or operator must pay the difference
in cost between those objectives and the owner or operator's alternative
Principal Disbursements.
principal of the monies deposited in such fund pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 12-13-10 may be expended by the
Director for the following purposes: (i)
take whatever emergency action is necessary or appropriate to assure that the
public health or safety is not threatened whenever there is a release or
substantial threat of a release of regulated substances from an UST;
to take preventive or corrective actions
where the release of the regulated substances presents an actual or potential
threat to human health or the environment where the owner or operator has not
been identified or where the owner or operator is unable, as determined by the
Director, to perform corrective action, including, but not limited to,
provisions for providing alternative water supplies;
to provide compensation for third-party
to pay for any
portion of the administrative cost of administering the GUST Trust Fund which
exceeds the amount of interest earned on the corpus of such fund; provided,
however, that no more than 10 percent of the fees collected annually pursuant
to Subsection (a) of O.C.G.A. 12-13-10 shall be used for such
reimbursement to eligible, participating owners and operators who have
conducted release response and corrective action; and
to provide payments to state contractors
for eligible, participating owners and operators who are unable, as determined
by the Director, to conduct corrective action for petroleum releases from
voluntary release response and corrective action, a participating owner or
operator conducting such activities under these regulations, either through his
own personnel or through response action contractors or subcontractors, is
entitled to reimbursement of reasonable costs from the GUST Trust Fund, subject
to the following provisions: (i)
to release response and prior to initiating additional corrective action, the
participating owner or operator must submit to EPD a proposed Corrective Action
Plan - Part A for release response activities completed and for proposal of
site investigation activities, together with incurred and projected costs of
the activities completed and proposed, respectively, and upon receipt of
approval by EPD, shall promptly continue corrective action. Upon implementation
and completion of the approved Corrective Action Plan - Part A and prior to
initiating additional corrective action for soil and groundwater, the
Plan - Part B for site investigation reporting and for proposal of additional
site activities, together with projected costs of those activities, and upon
receipt of approval by EPD, shall promptly continue corrective
owner or operator or his agents shall keep and preserve detailed records
demonstrating compliance with the approved corrective action plans and all
invoices and financial records associated with costs for which reimbursement
will be requested;
receipt of a complete Corrective Action Plan - Part A, EPD shall make a
determination and provide written notice as to whether the participating owner
or operator responsible for corrective action is eligible or ineligible for
reimbursement of costs. Should EPD determine the participating owner or
operator is ineligible, it shall include in its written notice an explanation
setting forth in detail the reasons for the determination;
the participating owner or operator
shall submit to the Director, within 30 days of completing all corrective
action, a completion report that corrective action has been
no later than 30
days from the submission of the completion report, the participating owner or
operator must submit an application for reimbursement of costs in accordance
with criteria established by EPD. The application for reimbursement must
include the total cost of the corrective action and the amount of reimbursement
the first $10,000 of
approved corrective action costs incurred by the participating owner or
operator are not eligible for reimbursement from the GUST Trust Fund nor are
costs for replacement or retrofitting of affected tanks and associated
no costs may be
reimbursed to the participating owner or operator until such time as corrective
action has been completed in accordance with a plan approved by EPD. However,
provisions for interim payments may be made if the corrective action is being
conducted in accordance with a plan approved by EPD which allows interim
of reasonable costs from the GUST Trust Fund shall be limited as provided in
Rule 391-3-15-.13(1)(d).
The participating owner or operator of an
UST shall be liable for all costs of preventive, corrective, and enforcement
actions incurred by the State of Georgia as a result of a release or a
substantial threat of release of a petroleum product from an UST unless the
participating owner or operator enters into a consent agreement as directed in
O.C.G.A. § 12-13-11(c). The
provisions for cost recovery from owners or operators participating in the GUST
Trust Fund are as follows: (i)
whenever costs
have been incurred by EPD pursuant to Subsection (f) of O.C.G.A. § 12-13-9 or Subsection (b) of
O.C.G.A. § 12-13-11, for corrective action,
the participating owner or operator shall be liable for the first $10,000 per
occurrence for corrective action; such funds to be paid into the GUST Trust
Fund within 90 days of notice by the Director;
Subsections (b) and (c) of O.C.G.A. § 12-13-11, the participating owner
or operator shall be liable for 100 percent of costs associated with
preventive, corrective or enforcement actions necessary to protect human health
or the environment, or for compensation of third-party liability claims, should
EPD find that any of the following situations exist: (I)
the release was due to willful or
negligent actions by the participating owner or operator;
the participating owner or operator is
in arrears for monies owed to the GUST Trust Funds;
moves in any way to obstruct the efforts of EPD or its contractors to
effectuate corrective action;
the participating owner or operator of a petroleum product UST has stored any
petroleum product in such UST which has not been subjected to, nor paid any,
EAF imposed in Subsection (a) of O.C.G.A. § 12-13-10.
or operator may be liable for up to 100 percent of costs associated with
the release is from an UST not registered
in accordance with O.C.G.A. § 12-13-13;
fails to comply with any provision of the consent agreement required by
Subsection (c) of O.C.G.A. § 12-13-11;
the participating owner or operator has
failed to comply with any provisions of GUSTA or these Rules and such failure
has caused, contributed to or otherwise adversely affected the release, or when
non-compliance has not directly contributed to or otherwise adversely affected
a release and such non-compliance was not or has not been corrected in a timely
fashion when directed to do so by the Director.
notwithstanding subparagraph (ii) or
(iii) above, the participating owner or operator may not be liable for costs
associated with preventive, corrective, or enforcement actions necessary to
protect human health or the environment, or for compensation of third party
liability claims, should EPD find that the following exist: (I)
the source of the release is an UST
system that was removed or abandoned prior to July 1, 1988, and is within close
proximity, but not more than 200 feet, of an existing UST system owned or
operated by a participant in the GUST Trust Fund, and the existing UST system
is a replacement for the removed or abandoned UST system; or
the current contamination from an
existing UST system owned and operated by a participant in the GUST Trust Fund
and another source cannot be differentiated, as determined by the
Except as otherwise provided for in Subsection (c) of O.C.G.A. § 12-13-11, in the event of any
discharge or threatened discharge of a regulated substance, the State or any of
its agencies may recover in a civil action from any owner, operator, or other
responsible person all costs incurred by the State or any of its agencies or
monies from the Federal Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) Trust Fund in
the assessment and the cleanup of any release of a regulated substance and all
costs incurred in the prevention, abatement, or removal of any threatened
discharge of a regulated substance, including reasonable attorney's fees and
any other necessary costs of response incurred by the State or any of its
agencies. All such monies recovered shall be deposited into the GUST Trust
Fund. The State shall have a lien on the property of owners or operators until
funds are paid.
Bankruptcy of GUST Trust Fund Participant. Following the
commencement of a voluntary or involuntary proceeding under the U.S. Bankruptcy
Code, 11 U.S.C. § 101et seq., naming a
participating owner or operator as debtor, EPD may file a claim against the
participating owner or operator for the following, as necessary: 1.
satisfaction of closure requirements;
Claims. Subject to all other provisions of these Rules, the trustee of
the GUST Trust Fund shall provide compensation for third-party liability claims
only when: 1.
the trustee has received notice
of potential third-party liability from the participating owner or operator
within sixty (60) days of the date the participating owner or operator is made
aware of a claim or claimant, which notice shall contain particulars sufficient
to identify the UST covered by the GUST Trust Fund financial assurance
mechanism and other information with respect to the time, place and
circumstances of the occurrence, as well as the names and addresses of the
persons alleged to be injured and all available witnesses. Failure to timely
give a notice in compliance herewith shall forfeit all rights of a
participating owner or operator to have third-party compensation claims paid
from the GUST Trust Fund; and
the trustee has received a valid final court order establishing a judgment
against the participating owner or operator for bodily injury or property
damage caused by an accidental release of petroleum products from an
underground storage tank covered by the GUST Trust Fund financial assurance
mechanism and the trustee of the GUST Trust Fund determines that the
participating owner or operator has not satisfied the judgment. However, there
shall be no liability on the part of the GUST Trust Fund and the trustee
thereof unless the trustee shall have been given timely notice by a
participating owner or operator of any lawsuit filed by a potential third-party
liability claimant, and the trustee has an opportunity to intervene in said
lawsuit and defend on behalf of the participating owner or operator with the
full cooperation and assistance of the participating owner or operator against
any claim which might be asserted by a potential third-party liability claimant
for bodily injury or property damage allegedly caused by an accidental release
of petroleum products from an underground storage tank covered by the GUST
Trust Fund financial assurance mechanism. There shall be no liability for the
GUST Trust Fund under this provision should the participating owner or operator
fail to provide notice to the trustee within fifteen (15) days of the service
of a law suit against the participating owner or operator or fail to cooperate
with the trustee in the defense against the claim or should the final judgment
presented to the trustee be a default judgment.
GUST Trust Fund Corrective Action
for Participating Owners or Operators.
Reporting. The participating
owner or operator shall report to EPD any suspected leak or spill of petroleum
product as required in 40
CFR § 280.50(2000), and
the participating owner or operator must inform EPD in writing within sixty
(60) days of the date of the confirmation of the release of an intent to file a
claim for reimbursement against the GUST Trust Fund or an intent to obtain
corrective action through the State contractor.
Corrective Action by Participating
Corrective Action Plan - Part A. Subsequent to release response
and prior to initiating additional corrective action, the participating owner
or operator must submit to and receive approval from EPD for the proposed
Corrective Action Plan - Part A, in accordance with the provisions of Rules
391-3-15-.09(2)
and 391-3-15-.13(1)(e)
2. Such corrective action plan shall, at a
minimum: (I)
participation in the GUST Trust Fund, if not submitted previously;
report completed release response
proposed site investigation including a projected schedule for submittal of a
Corrective Action Plan - Part B; and
provide cost projections and a schedule
of reimbursements for the proposed site investigation activities.
Agreement. Following approval by EPD of the Corrective Action Plan -
Part A, the participating owner or operator will enter into a corrective action
agreement with EPD, which shall, at a minimum: (I)
provide approval, if not granted
previously to protect human health and the environment, for continuation of
eligibility under the GUST Trust Fund;
approve an estimated schedule of
submittal of a Corrective Action Plan - Part B, unless directed by EPD not to
submit such plan.
Corrective Action Plan - Part B. Subsequent to completion of the
site investigation proposed in the Corrective Action Plan - Part A and prior to
initiating additional corrective action, the participating owner or operator
must submit to and receive approval from EPD for the proposed Corrective Action
Plan - Part B, in accordance with the provisions of Rules
report the results of the site
proposed corrective action including projected schedules and corrective action
projections and a schedule of reimbursement for proposed corrective action
proposed scopes of work, schedules and cost projections submitted under the
Corrective Action Plan - Part A and the Corrective Action Plan - Part B may be
modified, and, if approved by EPD in writing, said approval shall amend the
Corrective Action Agreement.
Corrective Action by State.
If the participating owner or operator is unable, as determined by EPD,
to perform corrective action, the participating owner or operator of an UST
shall be liable for all costs incurred by the State of Georgia as a result of a
release of a petroleum product from an UST unless the participating owner or
operator enters into a consent agreement with the State as provided for in
O.C.G.A. § 12-13-1(c).
Other GUST Trust Fund
Corrective Action. Whenever the Director has reason to believe that
there is or has been a release of a regulated substance into the environment
from an UST, regardless of the time at which storage of such material occurred,
and has reason to believe that such release poses a danger to human health or
the environment, the Director may obtain corrective action for such release,
utilizing funds from the GUST Trust Fund, provided however, that corrective
action for regulated substances other than petroleum products shall not be
obtained by utilizing funds generated from EAFs.
The enforcement of these Rules and Regulations shall be in
accordance with the Georgia Underground Storage Tank Act and the Georgia
Administrative Procedure Act. Such enforcement measures include, but are not
limited to, administrative orders, court orders, injunctive relief, and civil
penalties pursuant to these Acts.
A variance may be granted by the Director only if it is
consistent with the requirements of GUSTA and these Rules and consistent with
the Federal Act and Regulations promulgated thereunder.
Responsibilities. (a)
Each UST facility must have a Class A,
Class B and Class C Operator designated for each UST system or group of UST
systems and shall not operate without a designated operator for each class as
herein defined. Should an operator in any class as herein defined either resign
or be terminated for any reason, the UST facility must replace the vacated
operator with another one in the same class within sixty (60) days or cease
operations until such a replacement is designated. The Class A, Class B and
Class C Operator may be the same person or multiple persons, provided the
person designated to more than one operator class must be trained or meet the
responsibilities for each operator class for which that person is designated.
The Class A or B Operator does not have to be present at each UST facility at
all times. For unmanned UST locations not open to the public where no attendant
is present and each dispenser is either key or card controlled, each key or
card holder shall be trained to the standards of a Class C Operator; provided
however, the operators and owners of that facility are still responsible for
the compliance requirements of the UST facility.
In addition to those responsibilities for
Class A Operators required by these Rules, the Class A Operator must ensure
that appropriately trained individuals operate and maintain the UST systems;
maintain appropriate records; conduct required emergency response activities
and provide required financial responsibility documentation to EPD as required
under these Rules. A Class A Operator must demonstrate to the satisfaction of
the Director by passing an EPD authorized test that he or she has sufficient
general knowledge of UST system requirements to be able to make informed
decisions regarding UST compliance and be able to recognize if Class B or C
operators are fulfilling the UST operation, maintenance, notification and
record keeping requirements of these Rules and GUSTA, including, but not
limited to, spill prevention, overfill prevention, release detection, corrosion
protection, emergency response, product compatibility, release and suspected
release reporting, temporary and permanent closure requirements, financial
responsibility requirements, notification requirements and operator training
requirements, for UST facilities as required by these Rules.
Class B Operators required by these Rules, the Class B Operator must
demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Director through passing an appropriate
test as established by EPD a sufficient knowledge of all UST system
requirements indicating that he or she can make informed decisions and
implement the UST operational, maintenance, notification and reporting
requirements of these Rules and GUSTA, including, but not limited to UST system
components, UST system component construction, methods of release detection and
prevention, corrosion protection, emergency response requirements, product
compatibility, reporting and record keeping requirements, delivery prohibition
requirements and Class C Operator training requirements, as required by these
responsibilities for Class C Operators as are required by these Rules, the
Class C Operator must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Director, through
passing appropriate examination as established by EPD, a sufficient knowledge
of all UST system requirements indicating that he or she can make informed
decisions and take appropriate actions in response to emergencies or alarms
caused by spills or releases from an UST system.
Training. (a)
No later than August 8, 2012, all Class A
and Class B Operators of all UST systems regulated under these Rules are
required to pass a written examination corresponding to their respective
operator classification known as the Georgia UST Operator Examination, as
authorized and amended periodically by the Director, which shall determine that
the person being tested has the knowledge and skills necessary to be considered
as competent to operate UST systems at the operator level for which they have
been designated and tested. The Director shall periodically publish the name of
the test administrator, contact information, testing locations, testing
frequency and a list of the guidance documents and training materials on which
the test will be based. The Director shall approve the content of any tests
administered by the approved test administrator and the curriculum of any UST
operator training courses. This testing of Class A and B Operators must be
accomplished for all Class A and B Operators for any UST facility as identified
on the Annual Tank Registration as required under Rule
391-3-15-.05(4)(b)
Should any Class A or Class B Operator
take the Georgia UST Operator Examination and fail to pass the same as
certified to the EPD by the test administrator, the operator shall attend and
successfully complete an UST Operator training course of the operator's choice;
provided, the curriculum of which is based on the list of the guidance
documents and training materials as periodically identified by the Director.
After successful completion of an UST operator training course, evidenced by
appropriate documentation presented to the Georgia UST Operator Test
administrator, the operator will be required to retake and pass the Georgia UST
Operator Examination.
the initial and retake of the Georgia UST Operator Examination shall be as set
by the test administrator and shall be payable to the test administrator. Fees
for training courses shall be set by the training course providers and shall be
payable to the training provider.
After August 8, 2012, all new Class A and
Class B operators, if not already certified as trained, or subject to the
reciprocity provisions hereof, shall be required to pass the Georgia UST
Operators Examination within 30 days of taking responsibility of a UST system.
After satisfactorily passing the Georgia Underground Storage Tank Operators
Exam, the Class A or Class B Operator shall be issued a Certificate from the
approved test administrator indicating the name of the test applicant, operator
category of the test and the date of the test, which certificate shall expire
seven (7) years from the date of issue.
By no later than August 8, 2012, Class C
Operators shall receive training in the responsibilities of that class prior to
assuming responsibilities of that position. Class C operators shall be trained
in the responsibilities of that class by either the Class A or Class B
Operators for that facility. The method and curriculum used to train the Class
C operator shall be kept onsite at the UST facility and shall specifically
identify which employees are considered Class C operators and which have
received the Class C operator training. After August 8, 2012 any Class C
operator if not already certified as trained shall be trained as required
herein before taking responsibility for a UST system.
Retraining. (a)
All Class A and Class B operators shall
be required to retake and pass the Georgia UST Operator Examination once every
Should EPD
determine that a UST facility is out of compliance with significant operational
compliance requirements for release detection and release prevention
requirements, or financial assurance responsibility requirements as provide in
these Rules, the EPD shall require the Class A or Class B operator be trained
and re-tested at a minimum for the criteria in which the UST facility was
determined to be out of significant operational compliance.
A Certificate of Training may be granted
at the discretion of the Director to operators who have received certification
from other States whose UST rules are compatible with these Rules and have an
approved EPA operator training program and provide reciprocity to Georgia
operators in that State.
Revocation of Certification. The Director may investigate the actions of any operator and
may revoke or suspend the certificate of an operator when it is found by the
Director that in obtaining such certificate the operator has practiced fraud or
deception; or that reasonable care, judgment, or the application of knowledge
or ability was not used in the performance of the operator's duties; or that
the operator is incompetent or unable to perform his duties properly.
Violations. It shall be a violation of these Rules for any UST owner to
operate or allow to be operated any UST facility owned by that owner without a
Class A, Class B or Class C operator being designated and existing for said UST
facility as prescribed by these Rules. If any UST owner operates or allows to
be operated any UST facility in violation of this Rule,
391-3-15-.16, the current Annual
Tank Registration Certificate issued by EPD as required by Rule
391-3-15-.05 may be revoked by the
Rule 391-3-15-.01 General ProvisionsRule 391-3-15-.02 Definitions, UST Exclusions, and UST DeferralsRule 391-3-15-.03 Confidentiality of InformationRule 391-3-15-.04 Interim Prohibition for Deferred UST SystemsRule 391-3-15-.05 UST Systems: Design, Construction, Installation and NotificationRule 391-3-15-.06 General Operating RequirementsRule 391-3-15-.07 Release DetectionRule 391-3-15-.08 Release Reporting, Investigation, and ConfirmationRule 391-3-15-.09 Release Response and Corrective Action for UST Systems Containing PetroleumRule 391-3-15-.10 Release Response and Corrective Action for UST Systems Containing Hazardous SubstancesRule 391-3-15-.11 Out-of-Service UST Systems and ClosureRule 391-3-15-.12 Underground Storage Tanks Containing Petroleum; Financial Responsibility RequirementsRule 391-3-15-.13 Georgia Underground Storage Tank (GUST) Trust FundRule 391-3-15-.14 EnforcementRule 391-3-15-.15 VariancesRule 391-3-15-.16 Operator Responsibilities, Training and Examination