Wisconsin UST Operator Training

UST Operator Certification Procedures

Class A/B Operator Training
PASS' Class A/B Operator Training in Wisconsin is approved thru the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection
Class C Operator Training
PASS' Class C Operator Training in Wisconsin is approved thru the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection

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

Registration: Owners/operators of all USTs must register their USTs with the ATCP within 15 days of installation completion by submitting completed Underground/Flammable/Combustible/Hazardous Liquid Storage Tank Registration and Checklist for Underground Storage Tank Installation forms. Whenever any changes are made to the UST system, including change of ownership or change in product stored, a new registration form must be submitted.

Permit to Operate: All in-use and temporarily out-of-service tanks must have a permit to operate issued by the ATCP. The owner/operator must submit a completed permit application form and the associated fees to the department after all plan approval, registration, and installation requirements have been met but before the tank is placed into service. Once approved, the owner/operator will receive a permit to operate, which must be posted in a conspicuous location at the facility. To obtain a permit-to-operate application, contact the Weights and Measures Bureau at 608-224-4942 or via email to datcpweightandmeasures@wi.gov. Each permit to operate is valid for one year, and expires on the 28th day of the month specified on the permit. The department will send permit renewal notices and application forms to owners/operators prior to the permit expiration date. When a UST or UST facility changes ownership, the new owner must apply for a permit to operate.

Release Reporting

Owners/operators must report suspected and confirmed releases to the ATCP’s 24-hour spill notification line (1-800-943-0003) immediately upon discovery.

Release Detection

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

Automatic Tank Gauge (ATG);
Secondary containment with interstitial monitoring;
Statistical Inventory Reconciliation (SIR);
Manual tank gauging;
Tank tightness testing; or
Inventory control.

Financial Responsibility

Wisconsin follows the federal financial responsibility coverage amounts found in 40 CFR §280.93 (scroll to page 77 of 119 in the pdf document). You can also look at ATCP 93.7 in the Wisconsin State Legislature. 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
Certificate of deposit
Surety bond
Letter of credit
Trust fund
Stand-by trust fund

Inspection & Testing Requirements

Installation Inspections: At least three inspections will be conducted during the installation of any new or replacement UST or piping. The certified installer must notify the Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATC) at least 5 days prior to beginning an installation to arrange for inspections.
- The certified installer must complete a Pre-Construction UST/Pipe Installation form and provide a copy to the certified tank inspector prior to beginning installation activities.
- An inspection will be conducted during line pressure tests.
- The third inspection will be conducted prior to the UST being placed into service.
Monthly Inspections: The owner/operator must inspect each UST system monthly and document the results, according to the guidelines in PEI's Monthly UST System Inspection Checklist.

Delivery Prohibition/Non-Compliance Enforcement

If a Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATC) 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 inspector will affix a red tag to each fill pipe of the ineligible UST and document the level of stored product in the tank. The inspector will also notify the owner/operator, if present on site, of the significant violation(s) discovered and provide a written notification containing information about those violations as well as a time frame in which to have those violations corrected. Once the ATCP has determined that the violations have been resolved, the red tag will be removed.

Temporary & Permanent Closure

Temporary Closure

Wisconsin Administrative Code ATCP 93 defines “Temporarily out-of-service” as a storage tank system that is not being used, but is intended to be placed back into operation within the next annual permit renewal period. ATCP 93.140(2)(d) requires tank system owners to register changes, including moving a tank system into and out of temporarily out of service status, within 15 days of the change using form TR-WM-137, which can be found here: https://datcp.wi.gov/Documents/TR-WM-137.pdf

When a storage tank system is placed temporarily out of service, the owner or operator must comply with all of the following:

Leak detection must be maintained in accordance with ATCP 93 unless all liquid has been removed from the tank and the associated piping so that no more than one inch of residue remains in the system.
Operation and maintenance of corrosion protection systems must be continued.
The tank must be protected against flotation caused by flooding or soil saturation.
The tank, piping, dispensing equipment, lines, pumps, manways, and other ancillary equipment must be secured to prevent tampering.
All vent lines must be left open and functioning.
All periodic inspections and maintenance must be performed as if the tank were still in service, including but not limited to:
- Monthly water checks, including empty tanks
- Required testing of the cathodic protection system
- Required lining inspections
- PEI 900 inspections
Permits to operate must be maintained in accordance with ATCP 93.145.
Financial responsibility requirements of ATCP 93 Subchapter VII must be maintained. Before placing a tank back into service:
- A precision tightness test must be performed on the tank and piping in accordance with ATCP 93.515 (4).
- Immediately have the leak detection system verified in accordance with ATCP 93.510 (2).
- Tank systems out of service for more than 365 days must:
  - Have a pressure test of the ullage portion to assure that tank connections are tight.
  - Fully comply with ATCP 93, except double-walled construction is not required for tank systems installed before February 1, 2009.
  - Have all the respective components documented as functional on form TR-WM-139 (formerly ERS-10778), which can be found here: https://datcp.wi.gov/Documents/TR-WM-139.pdf
Tank systems that are placed out of service and do not comply with all requirements listed in ATCP 93.545 must be permanently closed in accordance with ATCP 93.560 within 60 calendar days.

Permanent Closure

To close a storage tank, the owner or operator must notify DATCP at least five business days before beginning permanent closure of a tank system using form TR-WM-121.

To permanently close an underground tank system, the owner or operator must comply with the following requirements per Wis. Admin. Code § ATCP 93.560:

Empty and clean the tank and piping using a process that complies with the national standard referenced in Wis. Admin. Code § ATCP 93.200. Individuals cleaning the tanks or removing tanks or portions of tank systems must be certified. A list of certified remover/cleaners can be found on their website here.
Complete the revised tank registration form TR-WM-137 and submit it to DATCP within 21 business days of closure or removal.
Perform a tank-system site assessment in accordance with Wis. Admin. Code § ATCP 93.560(3) and the TSSA Guide. In most circumstances, underground tank systems must be removed. However, if one or more of the following conditions exist, the owner or operator may submit a written request to DATCP to close the tank system in-place by emptying and cleaning it and then filling it with an inert, solid material.
- Excavation would impact the structural integrity of an adjacent building or structure.
- Overhead utilities at a commercial site pose a safety hazard.
- Excavation would impact adjacent transformers or substations.
- Unauthorized encroachment would occur onto neighboring property under different ownership.
- The tank location is inaccessible to necessary equipment.
- Excavation would result in the destruction of mature trees.
- Excavation would encroach upon a public way.
- Excavation would necessitate the disconnection or relocation of underground utilities. Closing a tank in-place does not exempt the tank from tank-system site assessment requirements.