Minnesota UST Operator Training

UST Operator Certification Procedures

Class A/B Operator Training

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) requires A/B operators to take and pass its online exam in order to be certified. PASS’ Class A/B Operator Training (MPCA Exam Preparation) course has been approved to help A/B operators prepare for the exam. Successfully completing the PASS course will not provide you with A/B certification. Here is what you need to do.

Once you have prepared to take the exam, visit the MPCA website and register for the exam.
Once you have registered, you have 10 days to complete the exam. You may start and stop the exam as many times as you want in that 10-day time period.
If you fail the exam or fail to complete the exam within the 10-day period, you will be required to take an MPCA-approved training course, such as the one offered by PASS.
Once you have completed your training course, you must contact Jenalee Quigley at the MPCA (jenalee.quigley@state.mn.us, 651-757-2238, or 1-800-657-3864), who will reset your exam so you may take it again.
Once you have passed the MPCA exam, your operator certificate will be e-mailed to you.

Class C Operators
PASS' UST C Operator Training is an approved training method in Minnesota.

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 MPCA within 30 days of bringing that UST into use by submitting a completed Notification of Installation or Change in Status form (information and forms can be found here). Whenever any changes are made to the UST system, including change of ownership or change in product stored, a new notification form must be submitted.

Release Reporting

Owners/operators are required to immediately report a leak or spill of more than 5 gallons of petroleum, or any amount of a hazardous substance, from any tank or piping by calling the Minnesota Duty Officer at 800-422-0798 or 651-649-5451. The duty officer is available 24 hours/day, seven days per week.

Release Detection

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

Manual tank gauging;
Automatic tank gauging (ATG);
Interstitial monitoring; or
Inventory control.

Release Prevention

You must have the cathodic protection on metallic tanks and piping with sacrificial anodes tested at least every three years by a qualified cathodic protection tester. Copies of test results must be submitted to the MPCA within 30 days of the test. You must keep a copy of results of the last three tests; however, the MPCA recommends that these test results be kept for the life of the tank system.
Inspections of tank linings must be conducted by physical entry. Camera inspections alone are not adequate.

Financial Responsibility

Minnesota 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
Stand-by trust fund

Owners/operators may also apply to the Petroleum Tank Release Cleanup Fund (Petrofund) for assistance in remediating petroleum releases.

Inspection & Testing Requirements

Monthly Inspections

The MPCA requires owners/operators to visually inspect tank systems on a monthly basis and retain a record of the inspections. The purpose of the inspections is to look for leaks and maintenance issues in and around the submersible pump systems, dispensers, and spill buckets. Such leaks and maintenance issues are commonly found by MPCA tank inspectors.

MPCA Inspections

Inspectors from the MPCA conduct UST facility compliance inspections on a regular basis. In addition to inspecting all UST system components, an inspector will review the facility’s records. These include:

Operator certification and/or training records;
Documentation of tank registration;
Tank and piping leak detection results;
LLD function test results;
Cathodic protection test results;
Documentation of financial responsibility;
60-day rectifier check results for impressed current systems;
Results of monthly submersible pump, dispenser, and spill bucket inspections;
Records of all calibration maintenance and repairs made to tank systems; and
Internal lining inspection results for internally-lined tanks.

Delivery Prohibition/Non-Compliance Enforcement

If an MPCA 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 application of a red tag to the fill cap or fill point identifies an ineligible UST system. Deliveries to these tanks are prohibited until the removal of the red tag is authorized by the Commissioner of the MPCA, or the red tag is removed by an MPCA-certified installer who has provided documentation to the Commissioner that the violations for which the system was red-tagged have been corrected.

Temporary & Permanent Closure

Temporary Closure

Within 30 days after taking a tank out of service, the MPCA must be notified using the notification form. After 90 days, you must ensure the tank is empty (no more than one inch of material) and secure fill points and dispensers.

Permanent Closure

After one year, inactive tanks must be permanently closed (removed or filled in place). A temporary extension can be applied for and may be granted by the MPCA depending on the specific site and whether or not the site is in compliance with applicable requirements. To apply for an extension, complete the MPCA’s Application for Extension of Temporary Closure form (available on the MPCA’s website).
The MPCA must be notified 10 days in advance of permanent closure using the Ten-Day Advance Notice form (available on the MPCA’s website).
Soil samples must be taken from the tank basin by a qualified technician and the results assessed for contamination by a qualified lab. Any contamination found during the removal or found in the soil samples must be reported immediately to the Minnesota Duty Officer at 800-422- 0798. The tank owner is responsible for this report, but in many cases the company hired will make the report for you. The MPCA will notify the owner/operator if corrective action to address the contamination is necessary.

Recordkeeping

You must keep the following records for the time frames listed below.

As of 2010, operator certification and/or training records must be retained for 3 years past termination of employment.
Keep tank and piping leak detection results for 10 years.
Keep LLD function test results for 10 years.
Keep the results of the last three cathodic protection tests.
Keep 60-day rectifier check results for impressed current systems for 3 years.
Keep records of monthly submersible pump, dispenser, and spill bucket inspection results for 10 years.
Keep records of all calibration maintenance and repairs made to tank systems for the life of the tank system.
Keep internal lining inspection results for internally-lined tanks for the life of the system.