Updates to Illinois Stage II Vapor Recovery Decommissioning

An Update from the Illinois Petroleum Marketeer Association: 

Gasoline Dispensing Facilities that Have Stage II Vapor Recovery Systems Must Decommission the Equipment by December 31, 2016:

Stage II vapor recovery systems have been required at most Chicago area retail and commercial gasoline dispensing facilities (GDF) located in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties, along with Oswego Township in Kendall County, and Goose Lake and Aux Sable Townships in Grundy County, since the mid-1990s. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) determined that onboard refueling vapor recovery technology is now present in enough motor vehicles such that the onboard vapor recovery systems on the vehicles can now replace the dispenser-based Stage II equipment.

On December 19, 2013 the Illinois Pollution Control Board adopted rules to: (1) eliminate the Stage II equipment installation requirements for new GDFs; and (2) require existing retail and commercial GDFs that have Stage II systems to decommission the equipment by December 31, 2016.

At least ten (10) days prior to the start of decommissioning activities at the facility, a Notice of Intent to Decommission Stage II Vapor Recovery Equipment form must be submitted to the Illinois EPA. The Stage II systems must be decommissioned using one or more contractors that have the appropriate licenses and registrations with the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal and the Illinois Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Weights & Measures.  Extensions cannot be given and facilities should schedule contractors to complete the decommissioning as soon as possible to meet the December 31, 2016 deadline.The Illinois Small Business Environmental Assistance Program (IL SBEAP) at the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity provides services to help companies understand their environmental requirements. For additional information about Stage II equipment decommissioning requirements visit: www.ildceo.net/enviro.  For questions, contact the Illinois Small Business Environmental Assistance Program at 800-252-3998 or dceo.sbeap@illinois.gov.