The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is celebrating the highest Underground Storage Tank compliance rate in the country (which currently stands at 93%), owing much to the hard work of the state’s Storage Tank Program (STP) staff to improve communication with and outreach to the regulated community.
Staff attributes the success to their extensive database for tracking 671 tanks regulated under the STP, as well as to consistent outreach to maintain relationships with the facilities. Staff can reach out to facilities up to 90 days before any testing is due, which can help catch any violations before a release occurs and ensure that a cleanup won’t be needed down the line. STP staff also aim to inspect each facility on a two-year basis, rather than the federally required three-year interval. The extra communication with permittees is especially helpful in Wyoming, where many of the permittees are smaller, locally owned businesses rather than large industries.
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