Temporarily Out-of-Service Tanks

Maine Department of Environmental Protection
Requirements for Temporarily Out-of-Service Tanks

If you wish to keep your underground oil storage facility temporarily out-of-service for a
period not exceeding 12 months, the following requirements must be met:

Notify the Department that the tanks are out of service;
Continue operation and maintenance of the corrosion protection system;
Continue leak detection, unless all product is emptied from the tank with no more than one (1) inch of residual left;
Leave vent lines open and functioning;
Cap and secure all other lines, pumps, man ways and ancillary equipment;
Report evidence of a leak to the Department within 24-hours of discovery; and
Submit to the Department a passing annual compliance inspection for each tank at the facility.

Provided the six (6) criteria listed above are met, and your facility is not leaking, your facility may remain temporarily out of service.

In order to return the facility to service, and prior to re-starting operation, you must:

Submit to the Department an amendment to the facility registration indicating your intent to return the facility to active service (Chapter 691 Section 11(B)(3));
Upgrade the facility to comply with the Department’s applicable leak detection, overfill and spill prevention and operation and monitoring requirements (Chapter 691 Section (11)(B)(3)) ; and
Ensure that the facility passes a precision test (Chapter 691 Section 11(B)(3)).

Please complete and submit the following form to the MDEP as a change to your registration. After review the Department will send you an updated registration certificate.

Temporarily Out-Of-Services Tank(s) Forms

Notification of Temporarily Out-of-Service Tanks Form (MS Word format) (pdf format)

Notification of Return to Service Form (MS Word format) (pdf format)

Updated September 30, 2008