New Approach to Reviewing All UST Sites

Case Closure - New Approach

Case closure is still a priority for Regional Board Underground Storage Tanks (UST) Program staff. Our goal is to clean up the impacted sites and bring them back to proper uses. To expedite staff review for case closure, we need the cooperation from all people involved. The following documents and factsheet are designed to communicate with parties who are interested and involved with the process of case closure. In addition, the questions under the "Common Sense Approach Questions" are the typical ones asked during the case closure review.

• Closure Criteria
  
• Standard Requirements For Site Assessment And Cleanup
  
• Roadmap to Closure for Leaking underground Storage Tank Sites  

"COMMON SENSE APPROACH QUESTIONS"

   The following questions are commonly used before a case closure is to be reviewed at a leaking UST site

1. Has leaking tank or piping been documented as upgraded, repaired or removed?
2. If present, was petroleum saturated or impacted soil in tank pit removed7
3. If free product present, was it removed?
4. Was any active remediation performed?
5. Were monitoring wells installed and has the plume been delineated?
6. What do monitoring results and trends indicate?
7. What is geology and lithology beneath the site?
8. What is the direction of groundwater as well as gradient?
9. What is horizontal distance to nearest groundwater well or surface water body?
10. What is vertical distance between tank bottom and groundwater table?
11. What are groundwater fluctuations (if any) at site?
12. If groundwater is impacted, does it
    • (1) have any designated beneficial uses;
    • (2) is it  being used; and
    • (3) what depth is it being drawn at?
13. If "soils only" case, is the plume contained by geology or lithology and will not impact groundwater due to vertical distance separation (vertical clearance)?
14. Has groundwater data indicated the plume is shrinking or stable, and it is ready for closure?
15. Do any residual soil and groundwater concentrations need to be further evaluated?
16. Has contaminant fate and transport and risk been evaluated?
17. Was site remediation finished, and confirmation samples completed?
18. Is land use of the subject site going to be changed?