Michigan UST Operator Training

UST Operator Certification Procedures

Class A/B Operator Training
Our Class A/B Operator Training is approved by LARA for the state of Michigan.

Class C Operator Training
Our UST Class C Operator Training is an accepted training method in Michigan.

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 A/B 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 LARA annually by submitting a Registration of Underground Storage Tanks form annually along with the fee of $100.00 per tank.

Release Reporting

Owners/operators must report any suspected or confirmed releases to LARA's spill notification line (1-800-MICH-UST within Michigan; 517-335-7279 outside Michigan) within 24 hours of discovery.

Release Detection

Allowable methods of release detection for tanks in Michigan include:

Automatic Tank Gauge (ATG);
Secondary containment with interstitial monitoring;
Statistical Inventory Reconciliation (SIR);
Inventory control
Vapor monitoring; requires prior approval from the department
Groundwater monitoring;
Tank tightness testing; and
Manual tank gauging;

Only tanks that are smaller and 550 gallons, or tanks that are 551-1,000 with a specific tank diameter can use that a sole method of release detection. Tanks with 551-2,000 gallons can use this in place of inventory control. It is not allowed for tanks larger than 2,000 gallons.

Release Prevention

To prevent spilling and overfilling associated with product transfer to the UST system, owners and operators shall use the following spill and overfill prevention equipment:

Spill prevention equipment that will prevent the release of the product to the environment when the transfer hose is detached from the fill pipe, for example, a spill catchment basin.
Tanks must have overfill protection that does one of the following:
- Automatically shut off flow into the tank when the tank is not more than 95% full.
- Alert the transfer operator when the tank is not more than 90% full by restricting the flow into the tank or by triggering a high-level alarm. For suction pump systems, a pressure regulator valve or other suitable device shall be installed in the suction piping if the flow restrictor causes a pressure buildup in the tank when activated.

Financial Responsibility

Michigan 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
Standby trust fund

Owners/operators are required to submit proof of financial responsibility annually with their UST registration.

Inspection & Testing Requirements

Class B operators must conduct a monthly or quarterly inspection of each UST facility for which they are responsible and record the results on an Underground Storage Tank Operational Facility Inspection Form. Each inspection form must be retained at the UST facility for at least three years.

In monthly inspections, the following must be inspected:

Release prevention equipment— visually check for damage; remove liquid or debris; check for and remove obstructions in the fill pipe; check the fill cap to make sure it's secure on the fill pipe; check for leaks in the interstitial area of double-walled release prevention equipment
Release detection equipment— verify the release detection equipment is operating with no alarms and ensure records of release detection testing are reviewed and current\

Annual inspections cover:

Containment sumps—visually check for damage, leaks to the containment area, or releases to the environment; remove liquid (in contained sumps) or debris; and check for leaks in the interstitial area of double-walled sumps with interstitial monitoring
Handheld release detection equipment—check devices such as tank gauge sticks or groundwater bailers for operability and serviceability

The other option, quarterly inspections, require the Class B operator to do following:

Verify proper tank registration and functionality of corrosion protection and release detection equipment. This includes reviewing alarm history and checking that all alarms were documented and responded to properly.
Release prevention equipment— visually check for damage; check for and remove liquid or debris located in any containment area; check for and remove obstructions in the fill pipe; check the fill cap to make sure it is securely on the fill pipe; for double-walled release prevention equipment with interstitial monitoring, check for a leak in the interstitial area
Release detection equipment— check to make sure the release detection equipment is operating with no alarms and ensure records of release detection testing are reviewed and current
Record keeping—Check and document the serviceability of handheld devices such as tank gauge sticks and groundwater bailers; verify all required periodic inspections, testing, and monitoring has been completed and correctly recorded with dated documents; verify all other record keeping requirements have been met

Delivery Prohibition/Non-Compliance Enforcement

If a Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) inspector determines that a UST or UST system is out of compliance with UST regulations, they may issue a Notice of Violation. (NOV). This is the first step in the delivery prohibition process. This may lead to the tank being tagged. A red tag is affixed to the fill UST port preventing new product deliveries.

Temporary & Permanent Closure

Temporary closure

A UST system shall be considered temporarily closed if it is empty for more than 30 continuous days and it is intended to be brought back into use within 12 months. Unless the tank is empty, owners and operators should continue the operation and maintenance of corrosion protection and release detection during this time. Financial responsibility should be maintained during this time as well.

The owner needs to notify the department of the temporary closure by using the registration form and intends to reopen within 12 months. If the tank is closed for more than three months, the vent lines should be left open and functioning, but all other lines, pumps, manways, and ancillary equipment should be capped and secured.

If a UST system is temporarily closed for more than 12 months, then the owners and operators can either permanently close the UST or they can ask the department for a 12-month extension. If you wish to be granted an extension, you must complete a site assessment before applying for an extension and submit the request no less than 30 days before the 12-month deadline ends.

Immediately before bringing the system back into use, owners/operators must perform and tank and tightness test before any product is delivered.

Permanent closure or a change in service
The owner/operator must notify the department at least 30 days before the UST is permanently closed or goes through a change in service. After notification of intent to close, a site assessment must be performed to determine if contamination is present. Take corrective action if needed.

Upon notification received, the department shall forward an approval notice to the owner or operator. The approval is valid for six months. If the UST system is not closed or a change in service does not occur within the six month period, then the owner and operator shall resubmit the notification form.

To permanently close a tank, it must be emptied, cleaned, and removed from the ground. If removal is not possible due to building structural integrity, the owner/operator may request approval from the department to close in place. In this case, it should be emptied, cleaned, and filled with a harmless, chemically inactive solid, like sand.

Within 30 days of permanently closing a UST system, an updated registration form needs to be submitted to the implementing agency to reflect the change in status. A new site assessment also needs to be submitted to the department within 45 days of closure.

The use of a UST system to store a nonregulated substance is considered a change in service. Owners and operators are required to provide a 30-day notice. This notice shall be on a form provided by the department. The UST must be emptied and cleaned and conduct a site assessment in accordance with section 280.72.

See more in the DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY REMEDIATION DIVISION UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANK REGULATIONS

Recordkeeping

Class A/B operators are responsible for creating and maintaining an operations and maintenance plan for each UST facility which should be kept at the UST facility. An operations and maintenance plan usually includes the following information and documentation;

site map showing the layout and sensitive receptors
UST system registration, permits, and installation/equipment documents
Operation and Maintenance and Emergency Response plan
records that document your financial responsibility
records of annual release detection/release prevention equipment tests, or functionality tests, for three years; i.e. tank tightness, line tightness, sump test, etc.
records of site assessments for groundwater and vapor monitoring methods
monthly release detection documents for three years
records demonstrating compliance with the compatibility requirement for systems storing regulated substances identified by the implementing agency
monthly/annual walkthrough visual inspections for three years
records demonstrating compliance with the operator training requirements. include names, class, date hired, and date trained. Maintain records for as long as that person serves as operator
last three records of the last year of impressed current rectifier voltage, amperage, and hours of use
the last two functionality tests of your corrosion protection system
records showing that a repaired or upgraded UST system was properly repaired or upgraded
for at least three years after closing a UST you must keep records of the site assessment results required for permanent closure
for airport hydrant systems and field-constructed tanks, the most recent tank tightness test, piping tightness test, and vapor monitoring