BUREAU OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANK (UST)
Fire Prevention Bureau oversees the Underground Storage Tank (UST) Program within the City of Long Beach. The purpose of this program is to ensure that hazardous substances are not released into the groundwater and/or the environment from UST systems. UST installation, removal, and modifications require local agency approval.
ICC-Certified California UST Inspectors annually inspect underground storage tank systems and the associated monitoring equipment, as well as compliance records to verify that the UST systems comply with applicable laws and regulations. ICC-certified California UST Inspectors who are Fire Prevention plan checkers evaluate all construction projects related to the construction (installation, modification, repair) and the closure of UST systems. Prior to commencing site work, project activities require a valid jobcard issued by Community Development and approval of plans.
| Contact the UST Program directly if there is an urgent need for immediate work due to unplanned/unforeseen conditions onsite. Otherwise, if the construction begins prior to submitting plans or prior to receiving a Plan Check Permit, the facility may be subject to additional fees and/or enforcement action including but not limited to a Stop Work Order. |
UST OWNER/OPERATOR RESPONSIBILITIES
- Maintain appropriate permits and pay annual operating permit fees.
- Comply with applicable laws and regulations set forth in Chapter 6.7 of the California Health & Safety Code and the associated regulations in Title 23 of the California Code of Regulations. Submit required UST-related information and forms via the California Environmental Reporting System (CERS). Your permit to operate may be withheld for non-compliance. This is evaluated each year prior to issuing the annual permit to operate for UST program facilities.
- Maintain and monitor the UST system.
- Report Unauthorized releases from a UST system shall be reported to the Long Beach CUPA at LBCUPA@longbeach.gov within 24 hours.
- Within 5 working days, the UST Unauthorized Release Form shall be completed and uploaded into CERS.
- Remediate all unauthorized releases as soon as possible.
SCHEDULING UST INSPECTIONS
Please submit UST Test Reports to the CUPA by upload to CERS as permitted by CERS or by emailing the reports directly to your UST Inspector:
Angela Samayoa, Angela.Samayoa@longbeach.gov,
Kenneth Ayala, Kenneth.Ayala@longbeach.gov
Our goal is to reduce the number of times that a facility operation is interrupted due to testing and inspections. Every effort is made to confirm your first requested date and time. We encourage test companies to give themselves extra time when scheduling. Since the changes in 2018, we receive about 60% of our inspection requests in the last 15 days of each month. This severely impacts last-minute requests for inspection every month. If we are not able to be present and the site is due for annual inspection, we may allow the test to go unwitnessed, but the site would have to be opened for visual inspection soon after when an inspector is available to complete the annual inspection. A test notification is not confirmed and approved to proceed until email confirmation is received from UST Program staff. If you have made a request and have not heard back, please feel free to contact us at LBCUPA@longbeach.gov as that is monitored by CUPA staff.
RESOURCES
- UST installation/removal/modifications Plan Check Submittal
- How to close a UST in CERS.
- Haz Waste Tank Certification
- Post Closure Requirements
- State Water Resource Control Board UST Forms
