Section 173-360-385. Permanent closure and change-in-service.

Permanent closure shall be completed by a certified UST supervisor.

(1) At least thirty days before beginning either permanent closure or a change-in-service under subsections (2) and (3) of this section, or within another reasonable time period determined by the department or delegated agency, owners and operators shall notify the department or delegated agency in writing of their intent to permanently close or make the change-in-service, unless such action is in response to corrective action. The site assessment required under WAC 173-360-390 shall be performed after notifying the department or delegated agency but before completion of the permanent closure or a change-in-service.

(2) Permanent closure shall be completed by a certified UST supervisor within sixty days after expiration of the thirty-day notice, unless a written request for an extension, explaining the reason for the request, is approved by the department or delegated agency. Any UST system not permanently closed by a compliance date that the UST system is subject to, shall be in compliance with the requirement associated with the compliance date, including the payment of fees. Any UST system not in compliance with any such requirement will be subject to the penalties described in WAC 173-360-170.

(3) To permanently close an UST system, the certified UST supervisor shall empty and clean the tank by removing all liquids and accumulated sludges.

Note:	Any sludges removed must also be designated and disposed of in accordance with chapter 173-303 WAC.

(4) All tanks taken out of service permanently shall also be either removed from the ground or filled with an inert solid material. All piping shall either be capped (except any vent lines) or removed from the ground.

(5) Continued use of an UST system to store a nonregulated substance is considered a change-in-service. Before a change-in-service, owners and operators shall have a certified UST supervisor empty and clean the tank by removing all liquid and accumulated sludge, and shall have a site assessment conducted in accordance with WAC 173-360-390.

Note:	The following cleaning and closure procedures may be used to comply with this section:

(A) American Petroleum Institute Recommended Practice 1604, "Removal and Disposal of Used Underground Petroleum Storage Tanks";

(B) American Petroleum Institute Publication 2015, "Cleaning Petroleum Storage Tanks";

(C) American Petroleum Institute Recommended Practice 1631, "Interior Lining of Underground Storage Tanks," may be used as guidance for compliance with this section; and

(D) The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health "Criteria for a Recommended Standard...Working in Confined Space" may be used as guidance for conducting safe closure procedures at some hazardous substance tanks.

(6) Owners and operators are responsible for submitting checklists for any of the tank services described in this section. Any active tank permits for the systems being closed shall be returned to the department within thirty days of closure activities.

[Statutory Authority: Chapter 90.76 RCW. WSR 95-04-102, § 173-360-385, filed 2/1/95, effective 3/4/95; WSR 91-22-020 (Order 91-26), § 173-360-385, filed 10/29/91, effective 11/29/91; WSR 90-24-017, § 173-360-385, filed 11/28/90, effective 12/29/90.]

Chapter 90.76 RCW. WSR 95-04-102, § 173-360-385, filed 2/1/95, effective 3/4/95; WSR 91-22-020 (Order 91-26), § 173-360-385, filed 10/29/91, effective 11/29/91; WSR 90-24-017, § 173-360-385, filed 11/28/90, effective 12/29/90.

Rules

173-360-390,173-360-170,173-303,173-360-390,