Alabama’s Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) has Proposed to Extend the Current October 13th Testing Requirements Deadline to 2020.

If the proposal is accepted, current UST owners and operators have ‘more time to prepare their equipment to meet these testing requirements and correction of typographical errors.’ You can find the proposal document summary here.

The ADEM’s Summary of Reasons Supporting the Adoption of the Proposed Amendments Chapter 335-6-16 Administrative Guidelines and Procedures for the Alabama Underground and Aboveground Storage Tank Trust Fund.

“A revision to ADEM Admin. Code Chapter 335-6-16 is being proposed to implement an adjustment to the Trust Fund scope of coverage as recommended by the Alabama Underground and Aboveground Storage Tank Trust Fund Management Board in accordance with the Alabama Underground and Aboveground Storage Tank Trust Fund Act, §§ 22-36-1 through 22-36-13, Code of Alabama 1975, as amended (2009 Regular Session). The Alabama Underground and Aboveground Storage Tank Trust Fund Management Board has recommended a change to the Trust Fund scope of coverage to ensure that necessary resources are available to perform required actions at sites impacted by releases of motor fuels. Adoption of the proposed changes will enable the Trust Fund to continue to fulfill its legislative mandate that adequate financial resources be readily available to provide for the expeditious supply of safe and potable water to affected persons and to provide a means for investigation and clean-up at contamination sites without delay. Without adequate resources, delays in response actions can result in the continuation and intensification of the threat to the public health, safety, and welfare, in greater damages to the environment, and in significantly higher costs to contain and remove the contamination. The proposed change is as follows: Rule 335-6-16-.09 “Scope of Tank Trust Fund Coverage” is being amended to increase the indemnification limit for a release from $1.5 million to $1.75 million per occurrence, less the applicable deductible.“

In other words, the ADEM has proposed a delay in order to ensure that the Trust Fund has resources prepared, without delay, in the event that there is contamination found on-site. ADEM fears that the state may not have enough resources prepared for an emergency by the October 13th deadline which could result “in the continuation and intensification of the threat to public health, safety, and welfare” in addition to higher overall containment and contamination costs and environmental damages.

Secondly, there are additional proposed changes to Alabama’s Division 6 Land Division.

Revisions to the Division 6 Code are being proposed to amend the implementation date for new testing  requirements to allow UST owners and operators more time to prepare their equipment to meet these  testing requirements and correction of typographical errors.  The phrase [effective date of rule] has been replaced with December 8, 2017 throughout the document.  Additionally, a typo in a rule referenced in rule 335‐6‐15‐.18 has been fixed. Rule 335‐6‐15‐.03 “Applicability” contains the definitions of which UST systems are included under the  regulations and which are exempt or partially exempt. Revisions are being proposed to this rule to  change deadline for UST systems storing fuel solely for emergency power generation to meet release  detection requirements from October 13, 2018 to December 8, 2020.  Rule 335‐6 15‐.09 “Operation, Maintenance, and Testing or Inspection of Spill and Overfill Prevention  Equipment and Containment Systems; and Walkthrough Inspections” contains the requirements for  operation and maintenance of key UST system components, including containment sumps and overfill  prevention devices. Revisions are being proposed to this rule to change the deadline for testing of  containment sumps and overfill prevention devices from October 13, 2018 to December 8, 2020. Rule 335‐6‐15‐.14 “General Release Detection Requirements for All UST Systems” contains the requirements for release detection for all underground tanks and piping. Revisions to this rule are being  proposed alongside the revisions proposed in 335‐615‐.03 to change deadline for UST systems storing  fuel solely for emergency power generation to meet release detection requirements from October 13,  2018 to December 8, 2020.

According to these proposed changes, they also want to extend the October 13th, 2018 deadline to December 8th, 2020 in order to provide UST owners and operators “more time to prepare their equipment to meet these testing requirements.”

There was a hearing on these proposed changes on September 5th, 2018 and we will continue to monitor ADEM’s website for updates.

If you would like to remain informed on all of the latest regulation changes, please contact us using the contact form on our website.