Los Angeles County Public Works - Underground Storage Tanks

Environmental Programs public counter located on the 3rd floor of the Annex building in Alhambra is open to the public. In order to maintain facility capacity we have implemented an online appointment system. Masks are highly recommended at all times for all visitors and staff. Click here to schedule an in person appointment or call (626) 458-3517 for questions or assistance.

For Underground Storage Tanks questions or submissions, email us at ust@pw.lacounty.gov. You can also mail submissions to:

Los Angeles County Public Works
Environmental Programs Division
900 S. Fremont Ave
Alhambra, CA 91803

If you have any questions, contact the Environmental Programs Public Counter at (626) 458-3517, Monday to Thursday, 8 am to 4 pm.

Closure

Closure of an underground storage tank is permitted by the DPW Environmental Programs Division. Closure by removal of an UST, piping and/or dispensers, the closure in-place of an UST and the temporary closure of an UST must comply with the closure conditions as directed on the Closure Permit as well as meet the requirements of California Health and Safety Code Division 20, Chapter 6.7, Section 25298, California Code of Regulations Title 23, Division 3, Chapter 16, Sections 2670 through 2672, and the Los Angeles County Code. It is the policy of Los Angeles County not to allow closure in-place of an UST unless it can be demonstrated from an engineering perspective that it is not feasible to remove the UST.

Closure Permit Forms

Completed Application For Closure form;
Site plan to scale which shows the tanks, piping layout, location of any remote fill piping, dispensers, structures, streets, property lines and overhead/underground utilities;
Completed Unified Program Forms FACILITY INFORMATION and TANK INFORMATION must be submitted electronically to the California Environmental Reporting System (CERS) Business Portal;
Closure Report Requirements form;
Supplement Application for Temporary Closure.

Additional Requirements

DPW authorization to remove, close in-place or temporary close USTs is valid only for 180 days. Closure by removal or in-place requires a closure report to be submitted within 30 days of completing closure-related activities.
A closure report must be prepared under the direction of a California Professional Civil Engineer or Professional Geologist or Certified Engineering Geologist and shall include the following:

a written summary of events related to the UST closure
a description of the method of obtaining, handling, and/or transporting soil samples
documentation as to the existing geology and depth of ground water
a plot plan to scale of sampling points
soil sampling results
completed and signed chain of custody forms
documented depth below ground surface where sample was obtained
disposal destination of USTs
evidence of legal disposal (manifests for UST, product or tank rinsate, piping, impacted soil, etc.)
an Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP) approved laboratory letterhead, the analysis date, method of extraction, methods of analysis, results, and QA/QC

Soil samples are required under each tank, every 20 feet of piping and under each dispenser or remote fill and should be described in the approved UST Closure Permit. For USTs containing petroleum, soil sampling analysis must meet at a minimum the California Regional Water Quality Control Board - Los Angeles Region requirements of March 2021
Permits/clearance for closure must also be obtained from the Los Angeles County Fire Department or local fire department, the DPW Building and Safety Division or local city building and safety equivalent, either the South Coast (rules 1149 and 1166) or Antelope Valley AQMD, as well as other applicable permits
Contractors removing underground storage tanks must be licensed by the California Contractors State License Board and possess the Hazardous Substance Removal Certification (HAZ)