Tools in the Tool Box
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, approximately 566,000 underground storage tanks (USTs) nationwide store petroleum or hazardous substances. The greatest potential threat from a leaking UST is contamination of groundwater, the source of drinking water for nearly half of all Americans. Generally, during a due diligence assessment, the presence of the UST system or evidence of former activity is discovered. Professionals are routinely asked about how to deal with historical UST activity on a site when redeveloping a property. Issues surrounding this historical activity don't have to derail redevelopment of a site if properly managed. Utilizing the proper tools in the tool box minimizes the stress and allows a renewal of a site.
Gas Stations on Every Corner
Historically, almost every main street corner in Oklahoma had a service and gas station. As the current trend is to return to areas long since forgotten to redevelop and revive these historical main streets, dealing with issues caused by USTs are becoming commonplace. Usually the dispensers and fuel islands are removed, the lot gets resurfaced, and the rest of the evidence of the UST system is removed. The tanks and contamination are discovered when digging foundations, expanding a roadway, or vapors entering a structure from the subsurface. Also, many rural communities rely on groundwater for drinking water, which becomes impacted as the contamination migrates. The chemical constituents contained in gasoline pose a risk to human health since many are known carcinogens. The regulated constituents are benzene, toluene, ethyl-benzene, xyle (BTEX) and Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH).
Oklahoma Leaking Underground Storage Tank Program
Oklahoma has a well defined and established Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) program which affords tank owners and affected landowners an insurance policy of sorts when dealing with the investigation, risk evaluation, and remediation of impacts. With the help of a Licensed Remediation Consultant, application is made to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) and depending on the applicant’s status, up to $1.5 million dollars are available to fund the actions required to obtain a no further action closure letter. Tank owners accessing the fund must be in substantial compliance and will pay a $1,000 deductible for each $100,000 dollars used up to a cap of $5,000. Developers or impacted parties that acquire a property with UST's can apply to have the deductible waved.
UST Removal and Case Management
Talon/LPE performs the removal of USTs and management of the case focusing on the client needs ensuring closure is completed in such a way to minimize disruption of property use and on an expedited timeline. Each phase of work from tank removal, investigation, remediation, to final closure, requires close contact and coordination with the OCC and must be managed by a Licensed Tank Remover and Remediation Consultant. Talon/LPE will complete the paperwork, perform the removal, and provide regulatory correspondence. Talon/LPE always keeps our clients informed on the status of the project. Contact Talon/LPE today and our team of professionals would be glad to review your project. You may also contact our Oklahoma office through our District Manager, Tobey Heater at 405-486-7030 or through email at theater@talonlpe.com.
