UST Emergency Response & Spill Containment 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A delivery driver overfills a UST and spills fuel. Who bears primary responsibility for immediate cleanup of the spill?
- The fuel delivery company exclusively
- The UST owner/operator exclusively
- Both the UST owner/operator and the delivery company share responsibility (Correct answer)
- The state environmental agency
Correct answer: Both the UST owner/operator and the delivery company share responsibility
Both the UST owner/operator and the product delivery company may share liability for spills; the owner/operator is always responsible for the UST system and the site.
Question 2: Which atmospheric condition increases the danger of vapor ignition during a petroleum spill cleanup?
- High humidity and overcast skies
- Low wind speed, hot temperatures, and low atmospheric pressure (Correct answer)
- Cold temperatures with light rain
- High wind speed and low temperatures
Correct answer: Low wind speed, hot temperatures, and low atmospheric pressure
Calm, hot, low-pressure conditions reduce vapor dispersion and increase the concentration of flammable vapors near ground level, raising ignition risk.
Question 3: When must an owner/operator submit a 20-day report after confirming a UST release?
- Within 20 days of discovering any leak indicator
- Within 20 days of confirming a release, describing initial abatement steps taken (Correct answer)
- Within 20 days of completing site remediation
- Only if the spill exceeds 1,000 gallons
Correct answer: Within 20 days of confirming a release, describing initial abatement steps taken
EPA regulations require owners/operators to submit a report within 20 days of confirming a release that summarizes initial abatement measures and site information.
Question 4: Which of the following is a proper initial abatement measure after a confirmed UST release?
- Immediately excavate the contaminated soil without agency approval
- Remove as much of the regulated substance from the UST system as is necessary to prevent further release (Correct answer)
- Seal the monitoring wells to prevent spread
- Pave over the contaminated area to prevent vapor migration
Correct answer: Remove as much of the regulated substance from the UST system as is necessary to prevent further release
Removing product from the tank to prevent further release into the environment is a required initial abatement step under 40 CFR 280.62.
Question 5: A UST site worker smells petroleum in a nearby storm sewer during routine operations. What should be the FIRST response?
- Continue operations and document the odor in the maintenance log
- Evacuate the area, eliminate ignition sources, and notify the supervisor immediately (Correct answer)
- Open the storm sewer to allow vapors to escape safely
- Call the fuel supplier to report a potential product quality issue
Correct answer: Evacuate the area, eliminate ignition sources, and notify the supervisor immediately
Petroleum vapors in confined spaces like sewers present explosion hazards; evacuating and eliminating ignition sources is the immediate life-safety priority.
Question 6: What does 'free product' mean in the context of UST release response?
- Petroleum that has been released and exists as a separate liquid phase in soil or groundwater (Correct answer)
- Fuel given at no cost to emergency responders
- Product that has evaporated and is no longer a contamination concern
- Recovered fuel that can be returned to the tank for reuse
Correct answer: Petroleum that has been released and exists as a separate liquid phase in soil or groundwater
Free product refers to petroleum or hazardous substance that exists as a distinct liquid phase (NAPL) separate from water or soil, requiring removal during corrective action.
Question 7: Under EPA UST regulations, free product must be removed to the maximum extent practicable using which approach?
- Only vacuum trucks licensed in the state
- Abatement methods that minimize the spread of contamination into previously uncontaminated zones (Correct answer)
- Excavation and soil removal as the sole acceptable method
- Natural attenuation without active recovery systems
Correct answer: Abatement methods that minimize the spread of contamination into previously uncontaminated zones
Free product recovery must be conducted in a manner that minimizes the spread of contamination and maximizes the amount of product recovered.
UST Emergency Response & Spill Containment 3
A delivery driver overfills a UST and spills fuel.
Who bears primary responsibility for immediate cleanup of the spill?