Indiana UST Operator Training

UST Operator Certification Procedures

Class A/B Operator Training
Indiana UST A/B Operator Training is provided by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) through its website. The Operator Training Quick Start Guide provides instructions on setting up an account in the Regulatory Services Portal (RSP).
Class C Operator Training
PASS' UST C Operator Training is an approved training method in Indiana.

All of PASS’ UST operator training courses meet and exceed the federal requirements for UST operator training and are offered through our in-house designed and built Learning Management System (LMS). PASS’ state-specific training courses are custom tailored to meet state requirements and are accepted by more states than any other training provider. Our courses are available on demand, 24/7 and are accessible from any internet-connected computer, tablet, or phone. The student can complete an entire course in a single session or take the course in segments. The training may be stopped and restarted, allowing for maximum schedule flexibility. PASS also does not impose time restrictions on course access, so students may take as much time as they need to complete their training. Once training is completed a certificate is available to save and print.

Registration & Fees

Registration: Owners/operators of all USTs must register their USTs with IDEM within 30 days of bringing them into use by submitting a completed Notification for Underground Storage Tanks form (available through IDEM's forms page).
Tank Fees: The tank fee assessment period is July 1 of each year through June 30 of the following year. Invoices are mailed to owners/operators in the Fall. For regulated petroleum tanks, the annual fee is $90.00 per tank.

Release Reporting

Releases: Owners/operators must report any suspected or confirmed releases to the IDEM Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) Section at 317-232-8900 within 24 hours of discovery.
Spills: Spills which cause a sheen on surface water, spills which are greater than 55 gallons and migrate past the property boundary, and spills which have not been contained and cleaned up must be reported to the IDEM Spill Line at 888-233-7745.

Release Detection

UST owners/operators in Indiana may use any of the following methods of release detection:

Manual tank gauging;
Automatic tank gauging (ATG);
Interstitial monitoring;
Statistical Inventory Reconciliation (SIR); or
Another method approved by IDEM.

Financial Responsibility

Indiana follows the federal financial responsibility coverage amounts found in 40 CFR §280.93 (scroll to page 77 of 119 in the pdf document). Owners/operators may use any of the following mechanisms to demonstrate financial responsibility.

Insurance
Corporate guarantee and stand-by trust fund
Surety bond and stand-by trust fund
Irrevocable stand-by letter of credit
Trust fund
Indiana Excess Liability Trust Fund (ELTF)
Other method(s) approved by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM).

Click here for more information about financial responsibility for USTs in Indiana.

Inspection & Testing Requirements

An IDEM inspector will inspect each UST facility at least once every three years. The inspector will want to see all paperwork regarding:

Operator training;
Notification, permit, and fees;
Corrosion protection;
Overfill prevention;
Spill prevention;
Tank and piping release detection;
Financial responsibility
Reporting of suspected releases;
Tank and/or piping repairs;
Secondary containment (where required); and
Temporary closure.

Delivery Prohibition/Non-Compliance Enforcement

If an IDEM inspector determines that a UST or UST system is out of compliance with UST regulations, he or she may initiate non-compliance enforcement procedures. IDEM will first send an informal violation letter to the owner/operator listing the violation(s) discovered, the required corrective action(s), and the time frame in which corrective action(s) must be completed. If the owner/operator does not correct the violation(s) within that time frame, IDEM will issue a formal Notice of Violation (NOV). The owner/operator is invited to a conference to discuss the violations and compliance solutions. An NOV will usually include an assessment of civil penalties for the violation(s) and will require the owner/operator to sign an Agreed Order (AO) to correct the violation(s). Non-compliance enforcement may also involve red-tagging the ineligible UST(s). The list of USTs under delivery prohibition is available as an Excel spreadsheet through this page.

Temporary & Permanent Closure

An environmental site assessment of soil and ground water is required for all regulated UST system closures and must be included into the UST System Closure Report. The report must be submitted to IDEM within 30 days after UST system closure completion. Since the UST Change Rule is final on September 29, 2004, there are new site assessment requirements. This document is designed to assist you in complying with the new requirements found in 329 IAC 9-6-2.5. In addition, the site assessment must be consistent with the Remediation Closure Guide and the Remediation Program Guide.

Closure Types

There are three types of UST System Closures in Indiana.

Removal - A "removal" closure is when all USTs, piping and dispensers are physically removed.
In-place - An "in-place" closure is when a portion or all of the USTs, piping, and dispensers are closed without removal. In-place closures require prior approval from IDEM. The conditions for obtaining approval include, but are not limited to, all or a portion is inaccessible due to buildings or structures.
Change-in-service - A "change-in-service" closure is when a UST system is converted from being used to store regulated substances to unregulated substances. Change-in-service closures require prior approval from IDEM.