Montana UST Operator Training

UST Operator Certification Procedures

Class A/B Operator Training
In order to earn an A/B operator certification in Montana, the operator must complete the training program offered through the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) Tank Helper II Website.
Class C Operator Training
PASS' Class C Operator Training in Montana is approved by the MDEQ.

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 DEQ within 30 days of bringing that UST into use by submitting a completed Notification for Underground Storage Tanks form. 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 must report any suspected or confirmed releases within 24 hours of discovery to the DEQ's Remediation Division at 800-457-0568 (Monday - Friday 8 am - 5:00 pm) or to the 24-hour Disaster and Emergency Services officer at 406-324-4777 (after hours and holidays). IMPORTANT: Owners/operators must report a release to a person; faxing, e-mailing, or leaving a voice mail message does not count.

Release Detection

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

Inventory control/tank tightness testing;
Manual tank gauging;
Automatic tank gauging (ATG);
Interstitial monitoring;
Statistical Inventory Reconciliation (SIR);
Groundwater monitoring; or
Vapor monitoring.

Financial Responsibility

Montana 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
Montana Petroleum Tank Release Cleanup Fund

A complete and current Montana Certificate of Financial Responsibility must be on file at the UST facility and available for inspection.

Inspection & Testing Requirements

Owners/operators of USTs in Montana are required to have a UST compliance inspection conducted every three years by a Licensed Inspector. Compliance inspections must be completed at least 90 days before the current Operating Permit expires. All pages of the inspection report must be signed or initialed by the owner/operator and the inspector and the report must be received by the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) within 15 days of the inspection.

The inspector will look for and examine:

Leak detectors for tanks and piping;
Corrosion protection (if applicable);
All manways, sumps, boxes, and dispensers;
The valid Operating Tag on each fill pipe; and
Evidence of non-notified or abandoned tanks.

The inspector will ask for and review the following documentation:

Tank and leak detection records, including:
- 12 months of monthly records;
- Precision tank or line tightness testing records (if applicable); and
- Annual line leak detector functionality test records;
Cathodic protection test results, including:
- 3-year structure to soil potential test results; and
- Rectifier inspection records (every 60 days) for impressed current systems;
Posted and visible valid Operating Permit; and
Documentation of Class A and Class B operator training.

Delivery Prohibition/Non-Compliance Enforcement

If a DEQ inspector determines that a UST or UST system is out of compliance with UST regulations, he or she may initiate non-compliance enforcement procedures. This involves suspending, revoking, or refusing to issue or renew the UST operating permit and classifying the UST as ineligible for delivery, deposit, or acceptance of product. The DEQ will make every reasonable effort to notify owners/operators and product deliverers prior to issuing a delivery prohibition. The DEQ will also issue a certificate which clearly identifies the ineligible UST and which must be displayed at the facility until the DEQ is satisfied that the violations have been corrected.

Owners/operators can check the Do Not Fill List and the Montana UST Facility Operating Permit Status pages on the DEQ's website for current information.

Temporary & Permanent Closure

For Temporary and Permanent Closure see the Montana DEQ's Subchapter 7 for Out-of-Service UST Systems and Closure for detailed information.

Recordkeeping

Owners and operators of UST systems shall cooperate fully with inspections, monitoring, and testing conducted by the department, as well as requests for document submission, testing, and monitoring by the owner or operator pursuant to section 9005 of Subtitle I of RCRA, as amended or pursuant to other state laws or rules. Owners and operators shall submit the following information to the department:

notification for all UST systems;
reports of all releases including suspected releases, spills and overfills, and confirmed releases;
corrective actions planned or taken including initial abatement measures, initial site history, free product removal, the result of remedial investigations, and cleanup plan; and
a notification before permanent closure or change-in-service;
documentation of operation of corrosion protection equipment;
documentation of UST system repairs;
recent compliance with release detection requirements