Texas Administrative Code › Title 30 - ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY › Part 1 - TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY › Chapter 334 - UNDERGROUND AND ABOVEGROUND STORAGE TANKS › Subchapter C - TECHNICAL STANDARDS › Section 334.51 - Spill and Overfill Prevention and Control

Current through Reg. 49, No. 28; July 12, 2024
(a) General spill and overfill control
				  requirements.
(1) Owners and operators of all
				  new and existing underground storage tank (UST) systems shall ensure that
				  releases of regulated substances due to spills and overfills do not
				  occur.
(2) Prior to regulated
				  substances being transferred and deposited into a UST system, the owner or
				  operator shall ensure that the available volume in the tank is greater than the
				  volume of regulated substances to be transferred into the tank.
(3) During the entire time that regulated
				  substances are being transferred into a UST system, the owner or operator shall
				  ensure that the entire transfer operation is continuously monitored by the
				  person conducting the transfer. Except as provided in paragraph (4) of this
				  subsection, such monitoring may be accomplished by either of the following
				  methods.
(A) The person conducting the
				  transfer shall be physically present at or near the transfer point at all times
				  during the transfer operation, and shall have an unobstructed view of the
				  transfer point to observe the transfer and to abate any spill or
				  overfill.
(B) The person conducting
				  the transfer shall be physically present at the facility at all times during
				  the transfer operation, and shall monitor the transfer operation using a
				  central monitoring station which is electronically connected to remote sensing
				  equipment at each transfer point, where such equipment is designed to detect
				  and prevent any spills or overfills.
(4) When USTs are equipped with ball float
				  valves in the vent openings (or with other similar flow restrictors) for the
				  purposes of compliance with the overfill prevention equipment requirements of
				  subsection (b)(2)(C) of this section, and when regulated substances are
				  transferred into such tanks under pressure (other than routine gravity
				  unloading from normal transport vehicles), the following requirements shall be
				  met during the time that regulated substances are being transferred into the
				  tank.
(A) The person conducting the transfer
				  shall be physically present at or near the transfer point at all times during
				  the transfer operation, and shall have an unobstructed view of the transfer
				  point to observe the transfer and to abate any spill or overfill.
(B) The transfer hose connection shall be
				  equipped with an appropriate back-pressure sensor that will automatically shut
				  off flow into the tank when the pressure in the tank reaches the tank's
				  allowable design pressure (typically five per square inch gauge).
(5) The owners or operators shall
				  assure that the installation and maintenance of all required spill and overfill
				  prevention equipment, as well as the procedures used for the transfers of
				  regulated substances to or from a UST system, are in accordance with codes or
				  standards of practice developed by a nationally recognized association or
				  independent testing laboratory such as:
(A)
				  National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 385, "Standard for Tank
				  Vehicles for Flammable and Combustible Liquids." The transfer procedures
				  described in NFPA Standard 385 or American Petroleum Institute (API)
				  Recommended Practice 1007, "Loading and Unloading of MC 306/DOT 406 Cargo Tank
				  Motor Vehicles" may be used to comply with this subsection.
(B) API Recommended Practice 1007, "Loading
				  and Unloading of MC 306/DOT 406 Cargo Tank Motor Vehicles," which also may be
				  used to comply with paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection; or
(C) API Recommended Practice 1621, "Bulk
				  Liquid Stock Control at Retail Outlets," with further guidance on spill and
				  overfill prevention.
(6)
				  The owner or operator shall assure that all spill and overfill prevention
				  devices installed pursuant to subsection (b) of this section are maintained in
				  good operating condition, and that such devices are inspected and serviced in
				  accordance with the manufacturer's specifications. In addition, the devices
				  shall be monitored or tested in accordance with the requirements in §
											334.48(g)
				  and (h) of this title (relating to General
				  Operating and Management Requirements).
(7) In the event a release of regulated
				  substance(s) occurs due to a spill or overfill, the owner or operator shall
				  comply with the release reporting, investigation, and corrective action
				  requirements in Subchapter D of this chapter (relating to Release Reporting and
				  Corrective Action).