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Virginia Administrative Code
Title 9. Environment
Agency 25. State Water Control Board
Chapter 91. Facility and Aboveground Storage Tank (AST) Regulation
10/9/2024

9VAC25-91-140. Performance standards for aboveground storage tanks newly installed, retrofitted, or brought into use.

A. All ASTs shall be built in accordance with the applicable design standards adopted by Underwriters Laboratories, the American Petroleum Institute, the Steel Tank Institute or other standard approved by the department.

B. All ASTs shall be strength tested before being placed in use in accordance with the applicable code or standard under which they were built.

C. ASTs that have the tank bottom in direct contact with the soil shall have a determination made by a corrosion professional as to the type and degree of corrosion protection needed to ensure the integrity of the tank system during the use of the tank. If a survey indicates the need for corrosion protection for the new installation, corrosion protection shall be provided.

D. ASTs installed after June 30, 1993, shall have a release prevention barrier (RPB) installed either under or in the bottom of the tank. The RPB shall be capable of: (i) preventing the release of the oil and (ii) containing or channeling the oil for leak detection.

E. Existing ASTs that are retrofitted (reconstruction or bottom replacement) or brought back into use shall be brought into compliance with subsections A, B, C, and D of this section. The operator shall submit a schedule to the department of the work to be performed in order to bring the existing AST into compliance with new-built construction standards. This compliance schedule shall be submitted to the department no less than six months prior to the anticipated completion date.

F. Operators of ASTs installed, retrofitted (reconstruction or bottom replacement) or brought back into use shall also comply with 9VAC25-91-130 B and 9VAC25-91-130 C, as applicable.

G. All newly installed ASTs shall be constructed and installed in a manner consistent with the applicable standards and requirements found in the Uniform Statewide Building Code and its referenced model codes and standards or other standards approved by the department. Approval and any applicable permits shall be obtained from the local building official before construction starts.

H. Compliance dates for subsections A through G of this section.

1. Operators of a newly installed, retrofitted or brought-back-into-use facility or AST shall comply with the requirements of this section within 30 days prior to being placed into service.

2. Operators of facilities existing on June 24, 1998, and exempted under § 62.1-44.34:17 D of the Code of Virginia (i.e., exempted facilities not engaged in the resale of oil) shall have complied with these requirements by October 22, 1998.

3. Operators of facilities existing on June 24, 1998, and not exempted under § 62.1-44.34:17 D of the Code of Virginia (i.e., exempted facilities not engaged in the resale of oil) and who have met these requirements on or before June 30, 1993, shall be deemed to be in compliance with these requirements as of the effective date of this chapter.

Statutory Authority

§§ 62.1-44.15, 62.1-44.34:15, 62.1-44.34:15.1 and 62.1-44.34:19.1 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 14, Issue 18, eff. June 24, 1998; amended, Virginia Register Volume 31, Issue 26, eff. November 1, 2015; Volume 39, Issue 5, eff. November 23, 2022.

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