Section 245.441. General requirements for underground storage tank systems

(a) Owners and operators of new and existing underground storage tank systems shall provide a method, or combination of methods, of release detection that:

(1) Can detect a release from any portion of the tank and the connected underground piping that routinely contains product.

(2) Is installed, calibrated, operated and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, including routine maintenance and service checks for operability or running condition.

(3) Meets the performance requirements in § 245.444 or § 245.445 (relating to methods of release detection for tanks; and methods of release detection for piping), with any performance claims and their manner of determination described in writing by the equipment manufacturer or installer. In addition, methods used after the date shown in the following table corresponding with the specified method except for methods permanently installed prior to that date, shall be capable of detecting the leak rate or quantity specified for that method in the corresponding section of this subchapter, also shown in the table, with a probability of detection (Pd) of 0.95 and a probability of false alarm (Pfa) of 0.05.

		Date After Which Pd/Pfa
Method	Section	Must be Characterized
Manual Tank Gauging	245.444(2)	December 22, 1990
Tank Tightness Testing	245.444(3)	December 22, 1990
Automatic Tank Gauging	245.444(4)	December 22, 1990
Statistical Inventory Reconciliation	245.444(8)	December 22, 1990
Automatic Line Leak Detectors	245.445(1)	September 22, 1991
Line Tightness Testing	245.445(2)	December 22, 1990

(i) Test method performance claims shall be verified by an independent third party using leak rates that are unknown to the tester.

(ii) When the EPA evaluation protocol for a method changes, the manufacturer shall reevaluate the method within 24 months of the new protocol’s effective date for its continued use in this Commonwealth.

(b) When a release detection method operated in accordance with the performance standards in § § 245.444 and § 245.445 indicates a release may have occurred, owners and operators shall investigate the suspected release in accordance with Subchapter D (relating to corrective action process for owners and operators of storage tanks and storage tank facilities and other responsible parties).

(c) Owners and operators of underground storage tank systems shall comply with the release detection requirements of this subchapter.

(d) An existing tank system that cannot apply a method of release detection that complies with this subchapter must immediately empty the tank and complete the closure procedures in § § 245.451—245.455 (relating to out-of-service underground storage tank systems and closure).

(e) For existing tank systems equipped with double-walled pressurized piping that routinely contains regulated substance, and containment sumps at the piping junctures and dispensers, the containment sumps and dispenser pan sumps of these systems shall be monitored monthly beginning November 10, 2009, and monthly monitoring records maintained for the last 12 months of monitoring. Monitoring shall be accomplished by one of the following methods:

(1) Monthly visual check of the sumps.

(2) Interstitial monitoring under § 245.444(7) (relating to methods of release detection for tanks) (also see secondary containment—liquid sump sensors in PEI RP 100).

The provisions of this § 245.441 amended November 9, 2007, effective November 10, 2007, 37 Pa.B. 5979. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (234734) to (234736).

Notation

Cross References

This section cited in 25 Pa. Code § 245.403 (relating to applicability); 25 Pa. Code § 245.442 (relating to requirements for petroleum underground storage tank systems); 25 Pa. Code § 245.446 (relating to release detection recordkeeping); and 25 Pa. Code § 245.451 (relating to temporary closure).