What California’s Revised Regulations for Tanks Means to Your Facility

For petroleum facilities operating in California, the regulatory requirements pertaining to tank inspections and maintenance have become more stringent. The state has finalized a series of amendments to SCAQMD Rule 1178 that will increase the frequency with which surveys are conducted with additional reporting requirements. The amendments have also changed the criteria that determine whether a facility is beholden to these updated requirements.

What Could the New Regulations Require?

If your facility is subject to SCAQMD Rule 1178, it will likely need to make the transition to weekly OGI surveys and semi-annual OGI surveys. And if your facility is currently exempt from certain tank inspection and maintenance requirements, that exemption may no longer be applicable.

Fortunately, you can act now to give your facility a greater chance of being compliant on day one of the new regulations, which is effective 7/1/2024. Keep reading for the steps you should take right now.

Step 1. Verify Your Facility’s Tank Permits

Verifying your permits is the first step. You should know whether the upcoming regulations will pertain to your tanks. Even if it seems like your tanks would be subject to the rule, there could be exceptions tied to your permits that ultimately supersede the rule. If your tanks are subject to the new regulations, then we can proceed to our second step. If you are unsure, contact Montrose to and we can help determine your applicability determination.

Step 2. Conduct a Prescreen Survey

Finding your baseline in relation to how you will conduct these surveys by conducting a prescreening gives you an awareness of what leaks need to be addressed before a fine can be levied. Our teams can come on-site and conduct a survey using optical gas imaging (OGI) and document of findings using our proprietary OGI database.

Step 3. Make Necessary Repairs

Once you know where your leaks are, you can either make the repair yourself or work with us to repair them while we are already there. As the timeline on repairs is quite stringent, the Montrose Tank Maintenance team performs the OGI survey and Tank maintenance to reduce your downtime and make repairs efficiently, without having to call a separate team. Regardless, we can return for a follow-up screening to make sure the leaks have indeed been properly fixed. If fixing the leak includes replacing a part, we’re also authorized resellers of specific tank components, such as pressure vacuum relief equipment.

Step 4. Stay Ahead of New and Upcoming California Tank Regulations

Don’t let amendments to Rule 1178 and other regulatory changes sneak up on you. Otherwise, you may find yourself suddenly noncompliant. Partner with Montrose, and we’ll work together to determine if and how your facility is impacted by these changes. Then, we can take proactive steps to ensure your leaks are addressed ahead of time and your tank maintenance program is fully up to date.