Petroleum Clean Up

Introduction

Maine's underground and aboveground petroleum storage facilities located across the state store motor fuels and heating oil. In addition to spills associated with transporting and delivering fuel, the storage tanks and associated piping can fail due to corrosion, physical damage, inadequate maintenance and vandalism. The spilled petroleum can contaminate soil, groundwater and air and exposure to petroleum contaminated media can b harmful to ones health., DEP has guidelines to measure levels of petroleum contamination and determine the clean-up necessary to minimize risk to public health.

Written approval of clean up plans required. Oil discharges are required by Maine statute (38 MRSA §568) to be cleaned up to the satisfaction of the Commissioner. Maine statute also limits payments to reimburse applicants to the Maine Groundwater Oil Clean-up Fund to those clean up expenditures that are in accordance with a written agreement between the applicant and the Commissioner and which includes a remedial action plan and schedule (38 MRSA §568-A.4). Remedial action agreements are to be entered into before the start of clean up. For non-emergency response clean-ups, remedial action plans are expected to include a thorough evaluation of the feasible clean up alternatives and their cost effectiveness.

Contacts

The Petroleum Remedial Planning Unit manages the cleanup at large or complex sites.

  • For further information:
    Contact:Tom Benn at 215-3692
  • For information on Remediation Hydrogeology:
    Contact: Bruce Hunter at 287-7672 or 287-2651
  • For Engineering questions:
    Contact: Fred Lavallee at 287-7677 or 287-2651
  • For indoor Air Issues:
    Contact: Peter Eremita at 822-6364 or 287-2651

Petroleum Clean Up Program Guidelines, Information, Lists, Policy and Procedures:

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