California Aboveground Storage Tanks: What you need to know

Aboveground Petroleum Storage Act (APSA): California Health & Safety Code (CH & SC) 25270.2 to 25270.13

Applicability: CH & SC 25270.2 and CH & SC 25270.3

Exemptions: CH & SC 25270.2

Tank facility statements: CH & SC 25270.6

Inspections: CH & SC 25270.5

Fees: CH & SC 25270.6

Release reporting: CH & SC 25270.8 and California Water Code (CWC) 13272

Penalties: CH & SC 25270.12

California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA) State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB)

Certified Unified Program Agencies (CUPAs)

California State Fire Marshal

Local Fire Marshal

See ADDRESSES & CONTACTS for addresses and telephone numbers.

See national section for basic information and federal regulations.

• Rules. California enacted the Aboveground Petroleum Storage Act (APSA) to regulate aboveground storage tanks (ASTs) used for storing crude oil and petroleum products in liquid form. This law authorizes specific management requirements for tank owners and operators.

Municipalities may enact permitting requirements that incorporate provisions of the Uniform Fire Code (UFC) or the Uniform Building Code. At a minimum, most ASTs need to meet state and local fire codes, which usually have some mix of construction, installation, operation, and maintenance requirements that are intended to prevent fires and other hazards that can come from mismanaged or substandard ASTs.

Owners or operators of aboveground tanks storing hazardous waste should refer to the state section HAZARDOUS WASTE STORAGE for a review of those specific requirements.

ASTs used to store used oil and fill pipes used to transfer used oil into USTs must be marked or ...