Leaking underground storage tanks (USTs) are a significant source of environmental contamination and may pose the following threats to human health and safety:  fire and explosion; inhalation of dangerous vapors; contamination of soil and groundwater; contamination of drinking water; and contamination of streams, rivers, and lakes.  These threats are minimized when responsible parties respond quickly and efficiently after a tank release.  For more information, see An Introduction to Leaking Underground Storage Tanks.

The Leaking UST Section oversees the remedial activities after a release from an UST has been reported to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency.  Leaking UST Section staff review the technical adequacy of plans, reports, and budgets.  This includes the development and evaluation of the appropriate remediation objectives for each site.  Once the site has met its remediation objectives and program requirements, the Illinois EPA issues a No Further Remediation Letter for the leaking UST incident.

The manager of the Leaking UST Section is Hernando Albarracin.  The section is divided into three units, headed by:  Michael Lowder; Harry Chappel, P.E.; and Tom Henninger.

• Budget and Billing Forms
• Technical Forms

Program Links

• Database Search Page
• Groundwater Ordinance chart
• Remediation Sites Map Service
• Source Water Assessment Program (SWAP) Mapping Tool

External Links

• City of Chicago - Underground and Above Ground Storage Tanks
• Office of the State Fire Marshal
• U.S. EPA - Office of Underground Storage Tanks

The Underground Storage Tank (UST) Fund helps tank owners and operators pay for cleaning up leaks from petroleum USTs.  By doing so, the UST Fund also satisfies the federal financial assurance requirements for all Illinois tank owners and operators.  Since its inception in 1989, the UST Fund has paid more than $800 million.  Illinois -generates money for the UST Fund through a $0.003 per-gallon motor fuel tax and an $0.008 per-gallon environmental impact fee, both of which are due to expire in 2013.  For more information, see Illinois' Underground Storage Tank Fund Guide.

• Assignment of UST Fund Payments
• Frequency of Claims Submittal
• Payment Priority List
• Consult the W-9 Processing Procedures
  • Frequently Asked Questions

Leaking UST Program Publications

Regulations - 35 Ill. Adm. Code   (can be viewed on the Internet at the Pollution Control Board's Environmental Regulations page). These include:

• Part 731 - Underground Storage Tanks
• Part 732 - Petroleum Underground Storage Tanks (Releases Reported September 23, 1994 through June 23, 2002)
• Part 734 - Petroleum Underground Storage Tanks (Releases Reported On Or After June 24, 2002)