Underground Storage Tanks (USTs), are the most common method of storing petroleum products in the United States. Many UST facility owners first become involved with the state and federal pollution regulations at the time of UST closure or upgrading.

A closure assessment is typically required at the time that an underground storage tank is permanently taken out of service. An assessment requires inspection of the conditions beneath the tank and associated piping by a qualified environmental professional. It is not uncommon for soil contamination to be detected beneath older steel tanks with heavy corrosion. All New England states have strict guidelines for how these contaminated soils should be managed.

Exeter Environmental has been involved in hundreds of UST closures, and our on-site experience will ensure that your tank closure or replacement will be conducted according to the applicable environmental guidelines. If soil excavation is required, we strive to balance the cost of properly removing and disposing of the soils with the need to meet soil remediation or risk assessment goals.

If petroleum contamination is encountered during a UST closure, regulations typically require that a site investigation be conducted. This involves the installation of groundwater monitoring wells, environmental sampling and analyses, and the performance of a risk assessment. State regulators may decide that some sites pose a risk to human health or the environment and that they require site remediation (clean-up). Exeter Environmental has the expertise to supervise clean-up efforts and work with qualified subcontractors.

In the event of a release from a registered UST facility in New Hampshire, the costs associated with cleaning-up the site may be reimbursable through the NH Oil Discharge and Disposal Cleanup Funds (ODD Fund). Exeter Environmental has specific experience with the application for cost reimbursement and is happy to assist clients in maximizing their eligibility for cost recovery.

Exeter Environmental is on the current list of environmental consultants who perform contamination-related UST investigations maintained by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services.

Please call us to assist you with your UST management needs.