All single wall tanks in California that were designed and constructed prior to 1997 will have to be removed by 12/31/2025
On September 25, 2014, the Governor signed Senate Bill No. 445 (SB445). SB445 requires that single-walled USTs be permanently closed no later than December 31, 2025.
SENATE BILL NO. 445 (STATS. 2014, CH 547) SUMMARY OF SINGLE-WALLED UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANK (UST) PERMANENT CLOSURE PROVISIONS
On September 25, 2014, the Governor signed Senate Bill No. 445 (SB445) authored by Senate Member Hill. SB445 is an urgency statute that takes effect immediately. The complete text of SB445 can be found at: http://leginfo.ca.gov/pub/13-14/bill/sen/sb_0401-0450/sb_445_bill_20140925_chaptered.pdf. For your convenience the bullets below summarize the single-walled UST permanent closure provisions of SB445.
On or before December 31, 2025, the owner or operator of an UST shall permanently close the UST if it was designed and constructed before 1997 in accordance with paragraph (7) of section 25291(a) or if it was designed and constructed before 1984 and does not meet the requirements of section 25291(a)(1)-(6). Authority: California Health and Safety Code, section 25292.05(a).
The State Water Board may adopt regulations to implement section 25292.05(a) at an earlier date if the UST poses a high threat to water quality or public health. Authority: California Health and Safety Code, section 25292.05(b).
Grant and loan money will be available
Grant and loan money will be available through the Replacing, Removing, or Upgrading Underground Storage Tank (RUST) Program to assist eligible small businesses to permanently close single-walled USTs. More detailed information will be forthcoming regarding the single-walled UST permanent closure and RUST Program via each program’s Lyris Email Distribution System and through each program’s website. To sign up for the Lyris Email Distribution System please visit the following website: http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/resources/email_subscriptions/ust_subscribe.shtml.
Have Questions?
The State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) including the UST Leak Prevention Unit, UST Cleanup Fund Program, Orphan Site Cleanup Fund, Office of Enforcement, and the RUST Program are all working diligently to get information about SB445 disseminated to the public. After this detailed information is disseminated and you still have questions regarding the UST permanent closure provisions of SB 445 please contact Laura Fisher, Chief UST Leak Prevention Unit & Office of Tank Tester Licensing at (916) 341-5870 or [email protected], or for RUST information contact Janice Clemons at (916) 341-5657 or [email protected]. For all other questions, please send an email to [email protected] using the subject line “SB445”.
This is a message from the State Water Resources Control Board.