Environmental Protection

Improved Inspections and Enforcement Would Ensure Safer Underground Storage Tanks Gao ID: GAO-02-176T November 1, 2001

Contaminated soil or water resulting from leaks at underground storage tanks can pose serious health risks. In 1984, Congress created the Underground Storage Tank (UST) program to protect the public from potential leaks. Under the program, the Environmental Protection Agency required tank owners to install new leak detection equipment and new spill-, overfill-, and corrosion-prevention equipment. GAO found that about 1.5 million tanks have been permanently closed since the program was created, but more than half of the states do not inspect all of their tanks often enough to meet the minimum rate recommended by EPA--at least once every three years. States reported that even tanks with the required leak prevention and detection equipment continue to leak, although the full extent of the problem is unknown.

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