Chances are, your grounds and vehicle maintenance facility uses an aboveground storage tank (AST) to contain one of these liquids:

• Gasoline or diesel used for fueling vehicles
• Diesel or heating oil used for heating buildings or powering emergency generators
• Liquid wastes, such as oils or paints

Environmental regulations for this type of storage vary, depending on what’s being stored, where it’s being stored (inside or outside), how much is being stored (the volume of the AST itself) and whether the contents are classified as hazardous or regulated waste. Here are some of the regulations you should consider:

• Under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act, you are required to report the storage of certain chemicals at certain quantities.
• If you store waste paint or waste oil in an AST, you must meet hazardous waste regulations.
• If your annual fueling of maintenance vehicles exceeds maximum legal levels, you must install Stage 2 vapor recovery equipment.
• You may be required to implement a Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure Plan if you store petroleum products above certain threshold volumes.

Follow these links to better understand the regulations and best practices surrounding ASTs.