|
The
Compliance Inspection Program is responsible for educating owners and
operators of petroleum storage facilities to minimize the potential
for discharges. All currently registered facilities are inspected
annually in Volusia County, ensuring that the facilities are utilizing
appropriate pollution prevention equipment and are adhering to correct
tank management practices in accordance with the FDEP rules and
guidelines. In addition to annual compliance inspections, staff
performs three other important functions:
- Program personnel conduct inspections at critical times during
the tank installation process to ensure that new tank systems are
constructed and installed properly and therefore, less likely to
fail resulting in a discharge.
- Staff performs inspections during tank removals and closures
thus providing assurance that any discharge that may have occurred
is properly detected and reported.
- Discharge inspections are performed whenever owners or operators
report suspected or confirmed releases of petroleum product.
During discharge inspections, the inspector, with the cooperation
of the owner-operator, attempts to determine the source of the
leak or spill, its severity and degree of threat to the
environment, and to see that appropriate steps are undertaken to
abate and contain the discharge and to repair the damaged
components of the system.
If
violations cannot be resolved by the local program, then a case
referral is made so that the FDEP can make a penalty assessment along
with its other enforcement efforts. The range of penalties, depending
on the extent of deviation from the requirements and the potential for
harm to humans and the environment, is $100 to $10,000 per day per violation.
As of July 1, 2011, there are currently 537 regulated facilities in
Volusia County.
FDEP
Storage Tank Regulations
|