Commercial Heating Oil Tanks

In most cases, commercial heating oil storage facilities used for factories, office buildings, schools etc. are larger than the typical single 275 gallon residential tank. Aboveground commercial heating oil tanks are regulated primarily by the State of Maine Oil and Solid Fuel Board. For more information regarding specific rules pertaining to heating oil tanks, please contact the Oil and Solid Fuel Board at (207) 624-8608. Depending on the oil storage size and set up, additional rules and authorities may apply. Please see the regulatory decision tree below.

    • ME OSFB
      Heating oil tanks connected directly to an oil burning appliance are regulated by the Maine Oil and Solid Fuel Board
    • Federal EPA
      Oil tanks greater than 1,320 gallons (single or aggregate) are subject to the Federal EPA Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) Rule
    • ME DEP
      Underground product piping associated with an aboveground oil storage tank >660 gallons must be installed, inspected, maintained, and removed in accordance with ME DEP Chapter 691
    • MEMA
      Annual Inventory Reporting and Registration fee for 10,000 lbs or more of hazardous substances including petroleum
Note that any or all of these requirements may apply

If the commercial heating oil tank is larger than 1,320 gallons or the facility owner has multiple tanks exceeding 1,320 gallons on their property, then they are required to implement a Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) Plan in accordance with state and federal law. (EPA's Site - Off Site)

If a commercial heating oil tank is larger than 660 gallons and has underground product piping, then the underground piping must be installed and maintained in accordance with Maine DEP's Underground Oil Storage Tank Rules (Chapter 691).

The Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) requires annual inventory reporting, in accordance with federal Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) laws. They also collect an inventory and registration fee annually. The inventory and registration fee applies to both ASTs and USTs that store 10,000 lbs or more of a hazardous substance (includes petroleum products and equates to approximately 1,570 gallons), with the exception of USTs at retail service stations. (The exception granted to retail service station USTs does not extend to ASTs because of the inherent dangers ASTs pose to first responders at a given site.) The federal reporting requirement has been in place since 1986, and the State requirement for reports and fees has been in place since 1989.

For information on inventory reporting and emergency response planning requirements for facilities storing oil and/or hazardous materials contact the Maine Emergency Management Agency: Faith Staples, Technological Hazards Program, 72 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333-0072; telephone: (207) 624-4400.

Report oil spills immediately!

Call 1-800-482-0777 from within Maine 24 hours a day.
Additional Emergency & Spill Response Reporting Telephone Numbers.