Replacing, Removing, or Upgrading Underground Storage Tanks (RUST) Program

Replacing, Removing, or Upgrading Underground Storage Tanks (RUST) grants and loans are available to assist small business Underground Storage Tank (UST) owners and operators to come into compliance with UST regulatory requirements by removing, replacing, or upgrading USTs.

Typical eligible costs are removing and replacing single-walled USTs and/or piping with double-walled USTs and/or piping, UST upgrades including installing containment sumps, under-dispenser containment boxes/pans, and electronic monitoring systems, and conducting enhanced leak detection tests.

Announcements

Owners / Operators of Single-Walled USTs

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Single-walled underground storage tanks (USTs) must be permanently closed by December 31, 2025. This requirement includes both single-walled tanks and nonexempt single-walled piping per California Health and Safety Code, chapter 6.7, section 25292.05. Single-walled UST systems that are not permanently closed by December 31, 2025 will be out of compliance and cannot be operated. Owners and/or operators will be subject to enforcement actions, including affixing red tags and pursuing civil penalties beginning January 1, 2026. For more information, please review the Single Walled webpage.

Loans and grants are available through the RUST program to assist eligible small businesses to remove single-walled USTs and to replace them with double-walled USTs. If you are eligible for RUST funding, you cannot begin work until you have a grant or loan executed by the State Water Board. Upon UST removal, if a release has occurred, owners/operators may need to undertake corrective action (i.e., investigate and clean up the release). Filing a claim application with the UST Cleanup Fund, completing corrective action, and receiving reimbursement for eligible corrective action costs is a lengthy process. The deadline for submittal of a claim application to the UST Cleanup Fund for reimbursement of eligible costs for corrective action is December 31, 2034. The UST Cleanup Fund sunsets on January 1, 2036. Do not delay.

View information on eligibility requirements for reimbursement for corrective action by the UST Cleanup Fund.

RUST Loans

RUST loans may be used to finance up to 100 percent of the costs necessary to upgrade, remove or replace project tanks, including corrective actions, to meet applicable local state, or federal standards, including, but not limited to, any design, construction, monitoring, operation, or maintenance requirements adopted pursuant to Health and Safety Code sections 25284.1, 25292.05, 25292.4, or 41954.

  • As of January 1, 2022, the RUST Program is no longer using Financial Development Corporations (FDCs) to assist in processing RUST Loan Applications. Please submit your RUST Loan Application and supporting documentation directly to the RUST Program.
  • RUST Loan Application (rev. 08/09/16)
  • RUST Loan Fact Sheet

RUST Grants

RUST grants may be used to finance up to 100 percent of the costs necessary to upgrade, remove, or replace project tanks to comply with the requirements of Health and Safety Code sections 25284.1, 25292.05, 25292.4, 25292.5, or 41954.

For guidance on how to submit a RUST Grant Application in FAAST, please see the FAAST Procedures located at https://faast.waterboards.ca.gov/LoginLinks/FAAST_UserManual.pdf

Reports

Annual

2013 | 2012

Legislative

2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004

RUST Performance Audit

2012

Questions or Comments about the RUST Program?

Please email RUST@waterboards.ca.gov or phone +1 800-813-FUND (3863).

For help with applications, existing agreements, or responding to a communication from the RUST Program, please attend our weekly Help Desk (meeting info below). RUST Program staff and management will be available to address all issues and/or questions. Private virtual breakout rooms are available for issues that should not be addressed in a public forum. If a follow-up session is needed, RUST staff will schedule a virtual conference during the Help Desk session.

RUST Help Desk – Microsoft Teams
Every Tuesday – 9AM to 10AM
Join the Help Desk Meeting
Meeting ID: 284 745 636 936
Passcode: 5gxkBs

Dial in by phone
+1 916-562-0861,,503124865# United States, Sacramento
(916) 562-0861,,503124865# United States (Toll-free)
Phone conference ID: 503 124 865#

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