Frequently Asked Questions

Should I be concerned about a buried heating oil tank, aka a heating oil Underground Storage Tank (UST)?

Residential heating oil tanks are typically made of steel, which naturally corrodes over time, especially when buried in the ground and exposed to corrosive soils. After 20-40 years, holes often develop along the tank’s bottom. Apart from the loss of fuel, leaking petroleum can seep through the ground, potentially affecting basements, water supply wells, creeks, and other important areas. While the impact on groundwater may not be immediate, it could pose risks to human health and the environment for generations to come.

Should I be concerned about an aboveground heating oil tank in my basement or crawlspace?

Aboveground storage tanks (ASTs) for heating oil typically offer the advantage of visual inspection, making maintenance and leak prevention more straightforward. However, a petroleum leak within your home or crawlspace can pose serious health risks due to harmful petroleum vapors. If you have an abandoned AST, it’s crucial to have it emptied of fuel and cleaned. This process should always be handled by a professional, as the proper equipment and techniques are necessary to prevent spills and ensure compliant hauling and disposal.

What about a buried motor fuel (diesel or gasoline) tank?

Gasoline and diesel used on farms are commonly stored in steel tanks, much like heating oil, making them similarly vulnerable to corrosion and leakage. While diesel is chemically similar to heating oil, gasoline poses a significantly greater risk to human health and the environment due to its volatility and high concentration of carcinogens. Furthermore, gasoline tends to migrate more easily through the subsurface compared to diesel or heating oil, thanks to its lower viscosity.

What do I need to do to properly decommission a heating oil underground storage tank (UST)?

Full compliance decommissioning requires “checking two boxes”:

1. Virginia Building & Fire Code requires that the tank be either removed from the ground or filled with an approved inert solid such as flowable fill (cement/sand slurry) or an approved foam product. Most localities require a permit for compliance.
2. Virginia State Water Control Law, which is intended to protect the environment, requires that any leakage be reported to the VDEQ and addressed as necessary to protect human health and the environment.

Pollard Environmental provides turn-key, full compliance UST decommissioning including all permitting and reporting requirements, along with any VDEQ-required corrective action such as risk assessments or cleanups if necessary.

Who’s responsible for impacts from leaking petroleum storage tanks.

Generally, the owner of a petroleum storage tank is responsible for any impacts caused by leakage, whether it be environmental damage or other.

Is There Financial Assistance for Addressing Leaking Tanks in Virginia?

The Virginia Petroleum Storage Tank Fund (VPSTF), which is administered by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ), provides financial assistance to help with the potentially high costs of properly addressing a petroleum storage tank release. There are specific limits and conditions associated with the VPSTF assistance, so it’s important to have an experienced consultant, such as Pollard, handle this process.

How can I find out if my underground tank is leaking?

The most cost-effective way to determine if a UST is leaking is the use of borings below the depth of the tank and recovery of soil for testing. The importance of having professionals perform such inspections cannot be overemphasized.

What signs might indicate that my UST is leaking?

Detecting a leak in your heating oil UST can be quite challenging since it’s buried underground and out of sight. Typically, you won’t notice any strong petroleum odors or see dead vegetation, as leaks tend to move downward until they reach groundwater or encounter barriers like clay layers or bedrock. While water intrusion into the UST can suggest a potential leak, this scenario only arises under specific conditions. Additionally, if you experience an unusual increase in fuel consumption or loss, it may point to a leak. However, by the time you notice significant fuel loss, the UST may have already been leaking for a considerable period.

Are abandoned USTs required to be removed from the ground?

Most localities will allow USTs to be decommissioned in place by filling with an approved inert solid such as a sand or cement slurry, or possibly a foam product. Some localities, however, require a UST to be removed unless there is an obstruction such as a patio or other structure preventing its extraction.

Will insurance cover the tank removal or environmental cleanup?

Coverage varies by policy. Some may include protection for accidental leaks. We are here to help you navigate the claims process when it’s applicable.

What if I’m not sure where my underground tank is located?

When there is no apparent piping to indicate the location of a UST, we have multiple means of identifying and locating them ranging from metal detectors to ground penetrating radar. We also typically can trace piping using utility locating equipment. However, often we’re able to locate USTs simply by using our experiences of handling so many in the past and the use of a metal hand-probe.

Is the cleanup process complicated if a tank has leaked?

Not at all! With over 25 years of experience working alongside the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ) and the Virginia Petroleum Storage Tank Fund (VPSTF), Pollard makes the cleanup process seamless. We take care of everything, including all necessary VDEQ paperwork and the submission of VPSTF claims.