Maine UST Operator Training

UST Operator Certification Procedures

Class A/B Operator Training
Class A/B operators in Maine earn their certification after taking and passing the online training offered through Tank Smart. For information and to register, visit the Maine Department of Environmental Protection – Waste Management Division’s operator training page.
Class C Operator Training
PASS' UST C Operator Training is an accepted training method in Maine.

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

Owners/operators of all USTs must register their USTs with the DEP every three years. This can be done by submitting a completed Registration Form for Underground Oil Facilities along with the registration fee of $100 per tank by January 1st. Upon receipt of the form and fee, the DEP will issue a Facility Registration Certificate for each facility. Whenever any changes are made to the UST system, including change of ownership or change in product stored, a completed Underground Oil Storage Facility Change of Ownership Notification Form must be submitted within 10 business days. This is covered in MRS §563.4 and in chapter 691 (Rules for Underground Oil Storage Facilities) under subsection 4.

Release Reporting

Owners/operators must report any suspected or confirmed releases to the DEP's spill reporting hotline (1-800-482-0777) within 24 hours of discovery. This is covered in MRS §564 (2-A) (H) and in chapter 691 (Rules for Underground Oil Storage Facilities), §5(B)(11). Owners/operators should also keep a "spill log" of minor spills that required action, but were not reported because they were smaller than 10 gallons, didn't threaten sensitive receptors, and was cleaned up within 24 hours.

Release Detection

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

Automatic tank gauging (ATG);
Monthly Statistical Inventory Reconciliation (SIR) of daily inventory data; or
Interstitial monitoring.

This is covered in MRS §564 (1-A).

Release Prevention

An underground hazardous substance storage tank shall include a spill containment basin of at least 15 gallons capacity around the fill pipe and one of the following overfill protection systems or an equivalent system acceptable to the Department in order to ensure that the volume available in the tank is greater than the volume of the hazardous substance to be transferred. (Chapter 691 §5(B)(3).)

A device to shut off flow into the tank at a level that will allow draining of hoses, fittings, and associated tank filling equipment into the tank without release of any of the hazardous substances to the environment. As a minimum the device shall shut off flow into the tank when the tank is no more than 95% full; or
A sensor to sound an alarm or valve capable of reducing flow to alert the person monitoring the transfer when the tank is 90% full. (A vent whistle doesn't count as a high-level alarm in Maine.)

Financial Responsibility

Maine 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.

Financial test of self-insurance
Guarantee
Insurance and risk retention group coverage
Surety bond
Letter of credit
Trust fund
Maine Ground and Surface Waters Cleanup and Response Fund

Inspection & Testing Requirements

Maine UST regulations require owners/operators to conduct an inspection of each facility every twelve months. Inspections must be performed by a Maine Certified Underground Oil Storage Tank Installer or Inspector. A passing inspection report must be submitted to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) within 30 days of completion. The inspector will want to see all paperwork regarding:

Operator training;
Notification, permit, and fees (as applicable);
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.

Owners/operators can find more information in the DEP's Underground Oil Storage Tanks Annual Inspections Owner/Operator Guide.

Delivery Prohibition/Non-Compliance Enforcement

If a DEP inspector determines that a UST or UST system is out of compliance with UST regulations, he or she may initiate non-compliance enforcement procedures. The DEP will first issue a Notice of Violation (NOV) with a time frame to correct the violations. If the owner/operator does not respond within the specified time frame, the DEP will issue a delivery prohibition order. The facility will also be listed on the DEP's website list of non-conforming tanks. This process is covered in MRS §565-A.

Temporary & Permanent Closure

Out of Service and Temporarily Out of Service Facilities

All underground hazardous substance storage facilities and tanks that have been, or are intended to be, taken out-of-service for a period of more than twelve (12) consecutive months shall be properly closed in accordance with this rule within 90 days unless the tank owner has received written permission from the Department of Environmental Protection to remain temporarily out of service in accordance with the requirements of Section 13 (A)(5). All out-of-service facilities regardless of the length of time they have been or will continue to be out of service must be in compliance with all Sections of this rule. Closure of out-of-service underground hazardous substance storage facilities must be supervised by an independent Maine-registered professional engineer with demonstrated education and experience in underground storage tank installation or removal or with demonstrated education and experience in hazardous waste clean-up or management.

When a facility is out-of-service for 3 consecutive months or more owners and operators must comply with the following requirements:

All product must be removed using commonly employed practices so that no more than one inch of residue or 0.3% by weight of the total capacity of the facility remains in the facility;
Vent pipes must be open and functioning;
All other piping, pumps, manways, and ancillary equipment must be capped and secured. Product shall be removed from piping, pumps, manways, and ancillary equipment to the extent it is technically feasible; and
Leak detection equipment must remain in operation during the out-of-service period or the facility must be properly closed in accordance with the requirements of Section 13.
All corrosion protection equipment shall remain in operation in accordance with this rule.

For a facility to remain temporarily out of service for more than twelve (12) months, the tank owner or operator must receive written approval from the Department. Written approval to remain out of service may remain in effect for up to twelve (12) months by which time the owner or operator must have received written permission from the Department for a twelve (12) month extension or must have closed the facility in accordance with this rule. All underground hazardous substance storage facilities taken out of service before the effective date of this rule must be permanently closed in accordance with this Section if the Department determines that any such facility poses a current or potential threat to human health safety, welfare, or the environment.

Permanent Closure

The owner or operator of a facility or tank which is to be closed shall notify the Department and the local fire department having jurisdiction. This notice shall be in writing and received by the Department before beginning closure procedures.

Please see Maine's Department of Environmental Protections Page and view Chapter 695 - Rules for Underground Hazardous Substance Storage Facilities for more information on temporary and permanent closure instructions.