Connecticut Oil Tank Removal: DEEP Requirements & Costs

Connecticut's underground storage tank program is governed by CT DEEP under Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies (RCSA) Section 22a-449(d). Requirements include: • **Proper closure** - Tanks must be properly closed, not simply abandoned • **Soil investigation** - Required during and after removal • **Pollutant standards** - Remediation Standards Regulations apply • **Licensed Environmental Professionals** - LEPs oversee contaminated sites • **Reporting requirements** - Releases must be reported to DEEP CT has a tiered approach to cleanup based on intended property use.

Fairfield County (Greenwich, Stamford, Norwalk, Westport, etc.) has unique considerations: • **High property values** - Tank issues can affect million-dollar transactions • **Older housing stock** - Many pre-1970 homes have buried tanks • **Strict buyer requirements** - Tank sweeps nearly universal • **Environmental consultants** - Commonly used for due diligence • **Premium contractor costs** - Higher than state average

The standard Connecticut tank removal process: 1. **Engage qualified contractor** - Experience with CT DEEP requirements 2. **Notification** - Inform DEEP if required by tank size/status 3. **Permits** - Local municipal permits for excavation 4. **Tank removal** - Proper excavation and extraction 5. **Soil sampling** - Per CT DEEP protocols 6. **Laboratory analysis** - Certified lab testing 7. **Evaluation** - Compare results to DEEP standards 8. **Remediation if needed** - Meet cleanup standards 9. **Documentation** - Closure documentation 10. **LEP verification** - For contaminated sites

When contamination is found in Connecticut: • **RSRs apply** - Remediation Standard Regulations set cleanup levels • **Residential vs commercial** - Different standards apply • **LEP involvement** - Licensed Environmental Professional required • **Timeframes** - Reasonable timeframes for cleanup • **Property transfer** - May require environmental conditions Connecticut's tiered approach allows for risk-based remediation in many cases.