Notification Requirements
UST owners and operators are required to notify ADEQ within 24 hours of a release or suspected release of an underground storage tank. Call (602) 771-4289 or toll free in state at (800) 234-5677.

Once a release is confirmed, the owner or operator has the responsibility of investigating and, if necessary, cleaning up the contaminated soil and/or groundwater from the leaking UST (LUST) site. ADEQ calls these activities "corrective actions."

If a tank owner or operator is not available to perform the corrective actions, the property owner may conduct the corrective actions as a "volunteer." In addition, if the UST owner or operator is unwilling or unable to perform the necessary corrective actions, the LUST site may be managed by the ADEQ UST State Lead Program.

ADEQ has published rules and guidance that explain the goals and expectations of the UST Corrective Action Program.

• Release Reporting and Corrective Action Guidance
• Release Reporting and Corrective Action Forms include:
  • Release Status Report
  • Site Classification Form
  • RBCA Site Classification Determination Worksheet
  • Initial Site Characterization Report
  • Notice of Soil Remediation Form
  • Free Product Report
  • Periodic Site Status Report
  • Lust Case Closure Report
  • Informal Appeal Form
  • Document Submittal Form
• Additional Forms and Guidance

Note: Please return all completed forms (original signatures and dates are mandatory) to:

Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
UST Program
1110 W. Washington St.
Phoenix, AZ 85007

State Assurance Fund (SAF)
The State Assurance Fund is available to help owners, operators and volunteers defray the cost of corrective actions. For an owner or operator to receive reimbursement for the corrective actions from the SAF, the owner must use an environmental consulting company that is on ADEQ's pre-qualified list of UST consultants.

The consultant will meet with the owner or operator and explain the process necessary to satisfy ADEQ's corrective action requirements. If an owner or operator has questions, they may contact ADEQ for more information.

LUST Site Investigations
A LUST site investigation typically consists of the drilling and sampling of soil borings to define the degree and extent of the contamination and to identify whether anyone is at risk from the contamination. This usually involves drilling a soil boring at the release location to determine the depth of the contamination, then drilling other soil borings away from the release location to determine how far the contaminant has spread.

Occasionally, contamination may reach groundwater. In this case, ADEQ will require the installation of groundwater monitor wells. Groundwater samples from the wells are collected and used to determine the nature and extent of the groundwater contamination. The depth to groundwater and the water level elevation of the groundwater wells is measured to determine the direction of groundwater flow. After the extent of soil and any groundwater contamination have been defined, the information is used to determine if cleanup is necessary.

Soil and Groundwater Cleanups
There are various remedial technologies available to clean up the soil and groundwater contamination. The types of remedial technologies used at a LUST site depend upon the product released (e.g., gasoline or diesel), the type of soil, and the depth and extent of the contamination. If you would like more information about remedial technologies, please contact either ADEQ or an environmental consultant.

Closing the LUST Case
Ultimately, when the contamination has been investigated and cleaned up, ADEQ will issue a LUST case closure letter stating that the corrective action regulatory requirements have been met. This letter is important should the owner or operator wish to sell or develop the property because many lending institutions insist on having this document before lending money on the property.

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