U.S. Code of Federal Regulations

Regulations most recently checked for updates: Oct 09, 2024

§ 280.35 - Periodic testing of spill prevention equipment and containment sumps used for interstitial monitoring of piping and periodic inspection of overfill prevention equipment.

(a) Owners and operators of UST systems with spill and overfill prevention equipment and containment sumps used for interstitial monitoring of piping must meet these requirements to ensure the equipment is operating properly and will prevent releases to the environment:

(1) Spill prevention equipment (such as a catchment basin, spill bucket, or other spill containment device) and containment sumps used for interstitial monitoring of piping must prevent releases to the environment by meeting one of the following:

(i) The equipment is double walled and the integrity of both walls is periodically monitored at a frequency not less than the frequency of the walkthrough inspections described in § 280.36. Owners and operators must begin meeting paragraph (a)(1)(ii) of this section and conduct a test within 30 days of discontinuing periodic monitoring of this equipment; or

(ii) The spill prevention equipment and containment sumps used for interstitial monitoring of piping are tested at least once every three years to ensure the equipment is liquid tight by using vacuum, pressure, or liquid testing in accordance with one of the following criteria:

(A) Requirements developed by the manufacturer (Note: Owners and operators may use this option only if the manufacturer has developed requirements);

(B) Code of practice developed by a nationally recognized association or independent testing laboratory; or

(C) Requirements determined by the implementing agency to be no less protective of human health and the environment than the requirements listed in paragraphs (a)(1)(ii)(A) and (B) of this section.

(2) Overfill prevention equipment must be inspected at least once every three years. At a minimum, the inspection must ensure that overfill prevention equipment is set to activate at the correct level specified in § 280.20(c) and will activate when regulated substance reaches that level. Inspections must be conducted in accordance with one of the criteria in paragraph (a)(1)(ii)(A) through (C) of this section.

Note to paragraphs (a)(1)(ii) and (a)(2).

The following code of practice may be used to comply with paragraphs (a)(1)(ii) and (a)(2) of this section: Petroleum Equipment Institute Publication RP1200, “Recommended Practices for the Testing and Verification of Spill, Overfill, Leak Detection and Secondary Containment Equipment at UST Facilities”.

(b) Owners and operators must begin meeting these requirements as follows:

(1) For UST systems in use on or before October 13, 2015, the initial spill prevention equipment test, containment sump test and overfill prevention equipment inspection must be conducted not later than October 13, 2018.

(2) For UST systems brought into use after October 13, 2015, these requirements apply at installation.

(c) Owners and operators must maintain records as follows (in accordance with § 280.34) for spill prevention equipment, containment sumps used for interstitial monitoring of piping, and overfill prevention equipment:

(1) All records of testing or inspection must be maintained for three years; and

(2) For spill prevention equipment and containment sumps used for interstitial monitoring of piping not tested every three years, documentation showing that the prevention equipment is double walled and the integrity of both walls is periodically monitored must be maintained for as long as the equipment is periodically monitored.