Public Record About Underground Storage Tanks - 2005 Energy Policy Act

Background and Requirements

Title XV, Section B of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 amends Subtitle I of the Solid Waste Disposal Act, the original legislation that created the underground storage tank (UST) program. The UST provisions of the Energy Policy Act focus on preventing releases and direct EPA to help states comply with new UST requirements.

Section 1526 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 requires states receiving federal funds under Subtitle I of the Solid Waste Disposal Act to maintain, update at least annually, and make available to the public a record of underground storage tanks regulated under this subtitle. The public record shall include (to the maximum extent practicable, for each year) the number, sources, and causes of underground storage tank releases, the record of compliance by underground storage tanks in the state with Subtitle I or approved state program, and data on equipment failures.

Grant Guidelines

In September 2019 EPA updated the grant guidelines for public record so that they are consistent with requirements in the 2015 federal underground storage tank regulation. For more information about the public record grant guidelines, contact Sue Burnell at burnell.susan@epa.gov or 202-564-0766.