United States Environmental Protection Agency
Pacific Southwest/Region 9
EPA-909-K-03-001/October 2003
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Contents
Underground Storage Tanks 2
Aboveground Storage Tanks.
Used Oil 8
Class V Motor Vehicle Waste Disposal Wells 11
Air Conditioning Units 14
Emergency Spill Response 17
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Introduction
In recent years, leaking fuel tanks and spills
at gas stations have contaminated drinking
water sources for nearby communities, and have
become costly for owners to clean up. This
handbook provides guidance for owners and
operators of gas stations on how to protect the
environment, comply with federal environmental
regulations, and save money by preventing the
need for costly cleanups and payment of legal
penalties. This guide is especially useful for
facilities on tribal lands and in U.S. territories,
where federal regulations are sometimes the only environmental rules in effect.
This handbook highlights five major areas of environmental management at gas stations:
underground storage tanks, aboveground storage tanks, used oil, vehicle waste disposal wells,
air conditioning units, and emergency spill response. Each section includes a brief introduction,
suggests good management practices, provides a checklist for compliance, and lists EPA contacts
for additional assistance.
If your facility does auto repair, you may also be interested in The Pollution Prevention Toolkit:
Best Environmental Practices for Auto Repair. This is a series of fact sheets plus a video,
available free of charge from EPA, showing the best ways for auto repair shops and fleet
maintenance facilities to prevent pollution. To order the free package, call 1-800-490-9198.
More information can be found at: www.epa.gov/region09/p2/autofleet
This publication is intended to provide guidance on the federal regulations and should not he used to meet all
owner/operator responsibilities. It is not a substitute for U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulations, nor is it
a regulation itself. It does not impose legally binding requirements. It does provide information on compliance with
important federal requirements applicable at gasoline service stations. For a comprehensive understanding, please
refer to the Code of Federal Regulations, and note that local regulations may be more stringent than the federal
regulations. Check with your local regulatory authority. If you are not sure who your regulatory authority is, you
can find out by calling EPA's toll free hotline at 1 -800-424-9346.
EPA does not endorse any companies or names that are mentioned or shown in this workbook or poster.
Many of these pictures were taken on the Navajo Nation.
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Underground Storage Tanks
Upper left: Installation of new USTs.
Upper right: A UST inspection in progress.
Lower right: Removal of leaking
UST and contaminated soil.
An underground storage tank (UST) is a tank and any connected underground piping
that has at least 10 percent of its combined volume underground. Federal regulations
require owners/operators of USTs to have proper corrosion protection, spill and overfill
protection, a leak detection system and financial assurance for liability.
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Gasoline Service Station Compliance Assistance Handbook • Underground Storage Tanks
Fill Pipe
Upper left: Keep your sumps empty and clean.
Upper center: Keep your spill buckets empty and clean.
Upper right: Test your Automatic Tank Gauge (ATG) to make sure
it is calibrated and working properly.
Lower left: Organize and maintain your records and documents.
Lower right: Example of overfill protection and automatic shutoff
device used during deliveries.
Good Management Practices:
Organize and maintain necessary documents at your facility that include the following records:
Financial assurance
Valid tank and piping leak detection results
Repairs and upgrades to tanks and piping system
Installation of overfill protection (such as flapper valve, ball float, or high level alarm)
Installation of corrosion-protected tanks and piping, if applicable
Records of cathodic protection testing, if applicable
Records of internal inspection for steel tanks, if applicable
Keep spill buckets free of liquids and dirt. Check to see if your spill bucket is leak-free and
operational.
Check all metal piping in contact with soil and water for corrosion protection.
Check dispenser area and piping sumps for leaks. If any water or gasoline is present, remove it
and dispose of it properly. Make any necessary repairs.
Test your ATG system, if installed, to make sure it is properly calibrated and working.
On-site staff should know how to operate the ATG and emergency shutoff valve.
Facility should have a tank specifications chart available during deliveries.
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Underground Storage Tanks • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Checklist For Compliance
The following checklist will help you manage your USTs. Always contact your local authority
for further compliance.
Submit a signed Notification Form
7530-1 for Underground Storage Tanks
to EPA and tribal/local environmental
agencies (where applicable) 30 days
prior to a new tank installation or
changes in tanks or piping.
You must have passing leak detection
results for your tanks at least every
30 days. Common leak detection
methods for tanks include automatic
tank gauging, statistical inventory
reconciliation (SIR), and inventory
control with tank tightness testing.
Maintain monthly records for the
previous 12 months.
You must also have leak detection
results for your piping. For pressurized
piping systems, this includes an annual
operation test of the automatic line
leak detector and either an annual line
tightness test or leak detection tests at
least every 30 days. Remember to keep
these test results as records.
Demonstrate that each tank has spill
and overfill protection that is in good
working order.
All metallic components (such as tanks,
piping, joints) in contact with soil must
Steel tank with sacrificial anode (bottom) as
corrosion protection.
have corrosion protection. Remember
to keep records of cathodic protection
testing and internal lining inspections
(if you use these methods for
corrosion protection).
I I You must have financial assurance to
cover cleanup costs of potential soil
and groundwater contamination.
I I During temporary or permanent
closure of USTs, tanks must follow
proper closure requirements. Notify
EPA and tribal/local authorities at least
30 days in advance if you plan on
permanently closing your tanks.
For general UST information refer to:
www.epa.gov/oust or contact EPA's
Call Center at 1-800-424-9346. You may
also contact the EPA Region 9 UST
program staff at 415-972-3367.
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Aboveground Storage Tanks
Another common method for storing fuels at service stations is the use of
aboveground storage tanks (ASTs). Any AST holding petroleum products or used
oil may be regulated under the Clean Water Act because releases can contaminate
surface waters. Single tanks with an aboveground storage capacity of more than
1,320 gallons or combined aggregate storage in containers of 55 gallons or
greater totaling more than 1,320 gallons are subject to the federal Oil Spill
Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) regulations.
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Aboveground Storage Tanks • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
HHg^HHHBBHBBBB
X A
Upper left: Good example of secondary containment.
Upper right: Good example of security fencing.
Lower right: Routinely check tank, valves,
hoses, and piping for any leaks.
Good Management Practices
Provide corrosion protection for ASTs and any buried piping. Options include elevating
tanks, resting tanks on continuous concrete slabs, installing double-walled tanks, or
cathodically protecting the tanks and piping.
To prevent rainwater from filling containment areas, you may need to cover the tank with
a roof structure.
To prevent evaporative losses and moisture condensation, you may want to paint tanks a
reflective color, as shown in the above photos.
Regularly check the dispenser hoses and piping for any leaks (a common problem).
On-site staff should be trained to handle emergencies, such as leaks or explosions.
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Gasoline Service Station Compliance Handbook • Aboveground Storage Tanks
Checklist For Compliance
The following checklist will help you manage
your aboveground storage tanks. Always contact
your local authority for further compliance.
Develop and implement a Spill
Prevention, Control and
Countermeasure (SPCC) Plan if the
combined capacity of your ASTs is
greater than 1,320 gallons. The SPCC
Plan must be certified by a Professional
Engineer.
All ASTs should have a secondary
means of containment capable of
holding 100% of the largest tank
capacity plus sufficient room to hold
stormwater/rain water. Options include
either having double-walled tanks;
berms, dikes, or vaults; or leak-proof
retention ponds or holding basins.
If a loading "rack" is present, tank
loading and unloading procedures must
have some form of secondary
containment sufficient to account for
the largest compartment of the delivery
truck. If there is no "rack" present, there
must be general drainage control to
prevent a release during delivery.
Buried piping must be protectively
wrapped and/or coated to prevent
corrosion, and periodically tested for
structural integrity.
Routinely monitor ASTs to ensure
they are not leaking. Areas to inspect
include tank foundations, connections,
coatings, tank walls, and piping systems.
The new SPCC rule requires combining
tank inspection with integrity testing
based on industry standards.
Wrong: This AST has inadequate secondary containment,
and no way to prevent vehicles from hitting it.
I I Control drainage from diked
containment areas with manually
controlled valves. Any discharge
should be inspected for petroleum
and chemicals prior to disposal.
I I Provide adequate security including
fencing and lighting. Tank valves
must be closed and locked when not
operating. Starter controls must be
closed and locked when not operating,
and accessible only to authorized
personnel.
I I Oil handling employees must be
trained in proper handling of oil and
applicable pollution control laws, rules
and regulations. Training records must
be maintained for at least three years.
For general AST and SPCC information
refer to: www.epa.gov/oilspill or contact
EPA's Call Center at 1-800-424-9346.
You may also refer to the EPA Region 9
Web site: www.epa.gov/region09/waste/
sfund/oilpp
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Used Oil
Containers for used
oil should be clearly
labeled, as shown
here. Extra care
should be taken to
avoid spillage shown
by floor stains.
If your facility changes oil on vehicles or accepts used oil from your community, you must
follow the federal standards for the management of used oil. These standards require
your shop to comply with basic storage requirements. Used oil should be stored only
in containers and tanks that are in good condition (free of any visible leaks, structural
damage, or deterioration). Containers, aboveground tanks, and fill pipes that transfer
used oil into underground storage tanks all need to be clearly marked with the words
"USED OIL" to prevent mixing of used oil with other materials.
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Gasoline Service Station Compliance Assistance Handbook • Used Oil
Containers must be in
good condition and
clearly labeled.
Good Management Practices
When changing oil, set up equipment—such as a drip table or screen table with a used oil
collection bucket—to collect oil dripping off parts. Place drip pans underneath vehicles that
leak fluids.
Used oil filters should be drained, crushed, and stored in a container that is labeled "Used Oil
Filters." Most oil filters can be recycled. This process exempts filters from being considered
hazardous waste.
If your facility is storing used oil destined for recycling in underground storage tanks (USTs),
you must follow UST regulations. Refer to the UST section, p 2-4.
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Used Oil • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Checklist For Compliance
The following checklist will help you manage your used oil. Always contact your local
authority for further compliance.
Keep used oil storage tanks and
containers in good condition; label
tanks and containers with the words
"USED OIL."
When changing oil, set up equipment,
such as a drip table or screen table, to
collect oil dripping off parts.
Oil filters should be drained (for 24
hours) and crushed prior to recycling
or disposal. It is good practice to
label storage containers as "USED OIL
FILTERS."
Immediately clean up any oil spills or
leaks to the environment.
Do not mix used oil with hazardous
waste (such as gasoline or solvents),
or else it will have to be managed
as hazardous waste, which is more
costly and cannot be recycled. Used oil
should be separated from other wastes
and stored in leak-free containers
labeled "USED OIL."
Used oil generated by a shop may
be burned on site in a commercial
space heater. Also, used oil may be
sent to a burner for energy recovery.
Contact local authorities to determine
requirements and obtain necessary
permits.
LJ If shipping used oil off site to be
burned, you must obtain an EPA
identification number by calling the
EPA Region 9 RCRA Notification
Switchboard at 415-495-8895.
Contact EPA's Call Center toll-free at
1-800-424-9346 for additional information
about used oil management
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Class V Motor Vehicle
Waste Disposal Wells
Floor drains in
service bays might
lead to a Class V
(Five) Motor Vehicle
Waste Disposal Well.
Your facility may be using a Class V Motor Vehicle Waste Disposal Well if there is a
floor drain on site. Floor drains that are not connected to a sewer line are considered
Class V Motor Vehicle Waste Disposal Wells if used to receive fluids from vehicle repair
or maintenance activities (this includes drainage from car wash stations). In order to
protect drinking water, federal requirements prohibit using existing motor vehicle waste
disposal wells, unless the owner and operator seeks a waiver and obtains a permit
from EPA and local authorities, if applicable. Constructing new motor vehicle waste
disposal wells is prohibited nationwide, due to the risk of polluting groundwater.
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Class V Motor Vehicle Waste Disposal Wells • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Use of dry wells should be avoided, due to the risk of contaminating groundwater.
Good Management Practices
Facility managers should know if floor
drains lead to a municipal sewer line, to a
surface discharge, to a leakproof sump, or to
a shallow injection well. Facility managers
should obtain the diagrams for all the
existing underground construction at their
facility to track the transport of these fluids.
Facility managers should know all sources
of fluids that flow onto or originate from
their property, including rain, snow, fuel,
motor vehicle fluids, and wastewater from
bathrooms and sinks.
"Dry shop" practices minimize the risk of
polluting water. For more information,
go to: www.epa.gov/region09/p2/autofleet/
or www.ccar-greenlink.org/
Facility managers should use best
management practices, such as dry shop
technologies, waste minimization, and
employee education. These activities are
described more fully in the EPA
publication, Small Entity Compliance
Guide: How the New Motor Vehicle Waste
Disposal Well Rule Affects Your Business.
This can be found at www.epa.gov/
sbrefa4u/documents/2778secg.pdf
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Gasoline Service Station Compliance Handbook • Class V Motor Vehicle Waste Disposal Wells
Checklist For Compliance
The following checklist will help you manage your motor vehicle waste disposal wells.
Always contact your local authority for further compliance.
All owners and operators of Class V
motor vehicle waste disposal wells
must provide to the EPA
Underground Injection (UIC)
program the following inventory
information:
Facility name and location
Legal contact
Nature of injection activity
Operating status of injection well
Class V wells must not endanger or
contaminate any underground source
of drinking water.
Establishment of new motor vehicle
waste disposal wells is prohibited.
Use of existing motor vehicle waste
disposal wells is banned unless a
permit is obtained.
For more information:
Contact the Safe Drinking Water Hotline
at 1-800-426-4791. You can also get well-
specific fact sheets and other information
on Class V injection wells, including
information on the Class V Rule from the
EPA Web site: www.epa.gov/safewater/
uic/classv.html
Owners and operators must notify
the UIC Program Director at the
applicable regulatory agency at least
30 days before closing an existing
motor vehicle waste disposal well.
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Air Conditioning Units
When air conditioning
units are repaired,
they must be
serviced by an EPA-
certified technician.
If your facility services motor vehicle air conditioning units, you may be subject to Clean
Air Act regulations. Many motor vehicle air conditioners (MVACs) contain refrigerants with
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and similar chemicals, which damage the Earth's protective
stratospheric ozone layer if released to the air. Regulations require that refrigerants be
removed from motor vehicles using U.S. EPA-registered equipment. Technicians must
be certified to service air conditioning units. You must sell the refrigerant you collect to
a reclamation facility so that it can be purified for reuse.
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Gasoline Service Station Compliance Assistance Handbook • Air Conditioning Units
Upper: Follow accepted procedures for
changing fittings and labeling refrigerants in
AC units that have been retrofitted.
Lower: Facilities must use EPA-approved
recycling equipment.
Good Management Practices
Leaky air conditioners should be repaired rather than just "topped off" with additional
refrigerant. Such repairs prolong system life, reduce emissions, and conserve existing
supplies of CFCs, which can no longer be legally manufactured or imported.
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Air Conditioning Units • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Checklist For Compliance
The following checklist will help you manage motor vehicle air conditioning units.
Always contact your local authority for further compliance.
It is illegal to vent and release
CFCs, HCFCs, HFCs, and any R-12
replacement to the atmosphere.
These chemicals must be recovered
during servicing.
If performing maintenance on motor
vehicle air conditioning equipment,
you must have documentation
proving that you and your facility are
certified by an EPA-approved testing
organization.
Recovery equipment must be
registered with EPA.
Recover and/or recycle refrigerants
during the servicing and disposal of
motor vehicle air conditioners and
refrigeration equipment.
After removal and collection,
refrigerant must be sold to a
reclamation facility so that it can
be purified, unless your facility has
the capacity to recycle the refrigerant
back into the original vehicle or into
another serviced vehicle.
I I If refrigerants are recovered and sent
to a reclamation facility, the name
and address of that facility must be
kept on file.
I I In addition, when servicing units that
use alternative non-ozone-depleting
substances, you are still required to
use certified equipment and be a
certified technician.
Additional information is available
through the toll-free Stratospheric
Ozone Information Hotline:
1-800-296-1996. You may also
go to www.epa.gov/ozone
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Emergency
Spill Response
For any explosions or major petroleum spills, immediately contact
the National Response Center at 800-424-8802.
If any release from an underground storage tank (UST) or
aboveground storage tank (AST) is suspected, the owner or operator
must report the release within 24 hours. Short-term actions should
also be taken immediately to stop the release and ensure that there is
no threat to public safety, human health, or the environment.
Short-Term Actions
Take immediate action to safely stop and contain the release.
Report the release to the National Response Center, EPA and your local regulatory authority
within 24 hours.
Make sure the release poses no immediate hazard to human health and safety by removing
explosive vapors and fire hazards. Your fire department should be able to help or advise you
with this task. You must also make sure you handle and dispose of contaminated soil properly
so that it poses no hazard (for example, from vapors or direct contact).
Remove petroleum from the UST or AST system to prevent further release into the environment.
Find out how far the petroleum has moved and begin to recover the leaked petroleum (such
as product floating on the water table). Report your progress and any information you have
collected to EPA and your local regulatory authority no later than 20 days after confirming
a release.
Investigate if the release has impacted the soil and subsurface environment.
This investigation must determine the extent of contamination both in soils and
groundwater. You must report to EPA and your local regulatory authority what you have
learned from an investigation of your site according to the schedule established by the
regulatory authority. At the same time, you must also submit a Corrective Action Plan
explaining how you plan to clean up the site.
National Response Center: 800-424-8802
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PACIFIC SOUTHV£ESJ/-
' Indian Reservations, Colonies, and Rancherias
• Major Metropolitan Areas
IQDl 150
*
EPA's Pacific Southwest Region includes the states of Arizona, California, Hawaii and Nevada; 147 tribal nations and communities;
and Pacific islands that are U.S. territories or to which the U.S. has ongoing commitments. Map shows boundaries of states,
counties, and tribal lands.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Pacific Southwest/Region 9 Contacts
U.S. EPA Pacific Southwest/Region 9
75 Hawthorne St.
San Francisco, CA 94105
Phone inquiries: 415-947-8000 or 866-EPA-WEST (toll free)
Email inquiries: r9.info@epa.gov
EPA Web site: www.epa.gov
For Pacific Southwest issues: www.epa.gov/region09
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