Flood Guidance

 

  Underground Storage Tank Management

  after Flood Events

 

The Tennessee Division of Underground Storage Tanks regulates petroleum underground storage tanks (USTs) in Tennessee. Non-petroleum USTs are regulated by U.S. EPA Region 4 Office in Atlanta. Above ground storage tanks are not regulated by this Division.

Owners of underground storage tanks owners with flooding-related emergency issues should contact 911 and the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency. 

Click here for what to do if you suspect a spill or release from an underground storage tank.

All problems may also be referred to the National Response Center. The National Response Center (NRC) is the sole federal point of contact for reporting oil and chemical spills.

The Division of Underground Storage Tanks also suggests tank owners follow these common sense measures:

1. A properly designed and installed spill bucket combined with a properly fitting fill cap should keep storm water out of an UST system. If your spill buckets and fill ports are under water, do not open them and allow water to run into the tank.

2. Tanks equipped with ATG systems should have probes capable of measuring any water ingress into the tank. If ATG equipment is measuring water entering the tank, the tank owner must report a suspected release to the division within 72 hours and follow the requirements of rule 1200-1-15-.05.

3. If a tank begins to float from the ground, tank owners should immediately call the 911 service in their area and notify the UST field office serving their area. Attached is a map for all UST field offices and staff. In the event that a tank owner is unable to respond to an emergency, our field staff can contact the Division's emergency response contractor.

4. If fuel is being released from the system to the environment, the tank owner should contact the local 911 service and the division and the tank owner must follow the requirements in rule 1200-1-15-.06, including reporting to the Division within 72 hours.