Mississippi Administrative Code › Title 11 - Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality › Part 5 - Underground Storage Tank Regulations › Chapter 2 - Mississippi Commission on Environmental Quality Underground Storage Tanks Regulations Technical Standards and Corrective Action Requirements for Owners and Operators of Underground Storage Tanks (UST) (Adopted March 22, 1989; Amended August 25, 2011, Last Amended August 23, 2018) › Appendix 11-5-2-280.4 - GUIDELINES FOR THE PERMANENT CLOSURE OF PETROLEUM UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANK SYSTEMS › Section 11-5-2-280.4-1 - GENERAL › Section 11-5-2-280.4-1-1.1 - Introduction

Current through June 25, 2024
The purpose of this document is to provide guidance that
						explains what the policies of the Underground Storage Tank (UST) Branch are
						regarding the permanent closure of petroleum UST systems. If you are
						permanently closing a UST system that has contained a regulated substance other
						than petroleum, you must contact the UST Branch in order to determine what
						sampling requirements must be met.
Any tank that was in use on or after December 22,1988,
						must be permanently closed if taken out of use for more than a 12-month period
						unless the tank meets the corrosion protection requirements. If a tank was
						taken out of use prior to December 22, 1988, and was closed in accordance with
						acceptable industry standards at that time, it is not required to be
						permanently closed in accordance with the present UST rules and regulations.
						Generally, the acceptable industry practice prior to December 22, 1988, was to
						simply empty the UST of product and in some instances, fill the tank with
						water. However, if a release is discovered at a tank that was closed prior to
						December 22, 1988, the release must be reported to the UST Branch and
						remediated just as if the release had occurred today.
The UST regulations require that when a UST is
						permanently closed, the site must be sampled for the presence of a release
						where contamination is most likely to be present. Therefore, the sampling
						requirements in this guide are only the minimum necessary and are not intended
						to substitute for the specific conditions that may apply to an individual site.
						Additional sampling may be justified whenever obvious areas of contamination
						are found.
No closure report will be accepted as complete without
						the minimum sampling data that is described herein. However, an allowance will
						be made where certain circumstances prohibit the collection of the minimum
						sampling points necessary such as when a tank is to be closed in place but one
						end of the tank is underneath a building. If it is necessary to deviate from
						the minimum sampling procedure, the tank owner must submit to the UST Branch an
						alternative sampling plan thirty (30) days prior to the closure to gain
						approval.
A Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ)
						certified contractor must supervise the permanent closure of any UST system
						that was in use on or after December 22, 1988. The certified contractor must
						ensure that all UST regulations and industry codes/practices (see Appendix F)
						relating to the closure are followed. To obtain a current listing of MDEQ
						certified contractors, contact the UST Branch at(601) 961-5171.
The state Fire Marshall's office and/or local fire
						department may need to be contacted prior to performing UST closure. You may
						also be required to obtain city or local demolition permits.
All underground utilities must be identified and clearly
						marked prior to any excavation or drilling. Contact Mississippi One-Call
						System, Inc. at 1-601-362-4374 in order to have all underground utilities
						marked.
Certain terms used in this document are defined in
						Appendix H for your reference.