Enforcement of federal underground storage tank regulations

During the 1980s, underground storage tanks (USTs) were leaking petroleum products into the soil and groundwater at an alarming rate. The federal government has recently developed an UST regulatory program that includes operating and financial responsibility requirements. Federal regulation requires UST system owners to notify state environmental agencies of the existence of these systems, and directs the EPA to formulate regulations concerning UST release detection, prevention, and corrective action, as well as for financial responsibility for leaks of regulated substances from USTs. State environmental agencies are required to compile tank inventories and to provide this information to the EPA. The EPA is mandated to establish a federal program for the regulation of USTs that allows state programs to operate in lieu of the federal program is they are no less strict than the federal requirements and can be adequately enforced. To recover shallow spills, the contaminated soil may be excavated and placed in a landfill. For deeper pollution, the only methods of treatment are flushing and recovery or an in-situ treatment, such as biological degradation using bacteria. Ethical issues include the relationship between the public demand for petroleum products, environmental damage, and the conflicts encountered by environmental consulting firms. Legal issues concern the notification of the public and the sale of property on which storage tanks are located, as well as the increasing involvement of the legal system in enforcement of environmental legislation