Purpose - To provide technical information and guidance to assist storage tank owner/operator with:

1. Development and implementation of preventative measures to reduce the potential for releases from underground storage tank systems, including measures operators can take to reduce the likelihood and minimize impact of spills during filling operations.
   
2. Procedures for reporting releases or threats of a release from underground storage tanks (UST) or aboveground storage tanks (AST).
3. Guidance for assessment and remediation during tank removal.
4. Guidance for Homeowners with:
   • underground storage tanks for heating oil
   • release of heating oil from tank or piping
5. Guidance for oil delivery professionals.
6. Spill Prevention Contingency Plan development assistance for facilities with AST and/or UST.   

Publications - Information specific to fuel oil and storage tanks

Homeowners and Small Property Owners

The homeowners web page is a central respository of BWSC general and technical guidance material that provides homeowners with assistance in reporting a spill, cleaning up a spill, hiring a Licensed Site Professional, understanding the Massachusetts Contingency Plan, and streamlining the cleanup process.
Web page

UST Closure Assessment Manual

This policy is intended to provide guidance on how to fulfill the requirement to measure for the presence of contamination at the time of a closure of an Underground Storage Tank, pursuant to the Massachusetts Fire Prevention Regulations, 527 CMR 9.00 . 
Web page 

Interim Remediation Waste Management Policy for Petroleum Contaminated Soils

Web page

WSC #02-411: Characterizing Risks Posed by Petroleum Contaminated Sites: Implementation of VPH/EPH Approach 

This Policy provides guidance for parties conducting response actions under the Massachusetts Contingency Plan (MCP) on the use and application of the Volatile Petroleum Hydrocarbons (VPH) and Extractable Petroleum Hydrocarbons (EPH) methods to characterize risks posed by releases of petroleum products to the environment. This Policy updates and replaces draft documents that were issued on October 31, 1997 and June 2001. Parties who are currently using criteria and guidance contained in the June 2001 draft document may do so until May 1, 2003. A summary of significant changes between these earlier drafts and this Final Policy is provided in Appendix 6.
October 2002
Web page

Interim Final Petroleum Report: Development of Health-Based Alternative to the Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPH) Parameter 

This document describes an alternative approach to the analysis and interpretation of the "TPH" parameter used at oil contaminated waste sites. The alternative can be used to perform site-specific risk assessments or to develop health-based cleanup standards for petroleum hydrocarbons. Rather than quantifying the entire range of petroleum hydrocarbons as one mass, a technique is used which divides the broad chemical classes of petroleum hydrocarbons (alkanes, cycloalkanes, alkenes and aromatics) into subgroups of compounds based on numbers of carbon atoms in the compounds in each subgroup and translates the masses of compounds in each specific segment into discrete estimates of health risk for specified exposure scenarios.
Web page

Links to Other Agencies with Storage Tank Programs

Underground Storage Tank Compliance Program (DFS)

The Department of Fire Services, Office of the State Fire Marshal administers the Underground Storage Tank Compliance program through its Technical Services Division. Code Compliance officers are responsible for enforcing UST regulations and overseeing the installation, operation, removal and disposal of USTs. The Office of the State Fire Marshal provides technical assistance to the public and Fire Service officials who assist in the administration of the UST Compliance program. The Office of the State Fire Marshal also registers every regulated UST in the Commonwealth and tracks its status in the UST Registry database.
Web site

Underground Storage Tank Program (DOR)

The Department of Revenue's Online Service Center for the Underground Storage Tank Program oversees the operations of two programs: the Petroleum Product Cleanup Fund and the Cities and Towns Municipal Grants Program. The Petroleum Product Cleanup Fund provides owners and operators of underground storage tank dispensing facilities, with reimbursement for costs they incur in cleaning up releases to the environment. The Cities and Towns Municipal Grants Program provides up to fifty percent reimbursement to municipal entities for costs they incur in removing and/or replacing their own underground storage tanks.
Web site

Office of Underground Storage Tanks (EPA)

The Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Underground Storage Tanks (OUST) provides updated information relevant to the federal underground storage tank (UST) program and technical and administrative support to state programs.
Web site