EPA Hits 500,000 UST Cleanup Milestone!
In a significant achievement for environmental restoration efforts, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced that its Underground Storage Tank (UST) program has cleaned up more than 500,000 confirmed releases from leaking tanks. This milestone marks a major step in safeguarding both groundwater supplies and public health.
Since its inception in 1984, the UST program has worked to address the widespread issue of leaks from aging fuel tanks buried beneath gas stations, industrial facilities, and other properties. These leaks often contaminate nearby soil and groundwater with harmful chemicals such as benzene and methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), posing long-term health and environmental risks.
Through decades of coordinated efforts, the UST program has provided technical support, funding, and oversight to state and local governments tasked with identifying, assessing, and cleaning up contamination. By the end of 2024, the program surpassed half a million cleanup efforts completed across the country, removing or remediating the sources of pollution and restoring affected areas.
This achievement highlights not only the scale of the challenge, but also the success of collaboration among federal agencies, state environmental departments, and industry stakeholders. The program’s work has prevented further environmental damage, safeguarded drinking water supplies, and revitalized countless properties for safe reuse.
As the program moves forward, the EPA remains focused on the ongoing cleanup of the remaining release sites and improving prevention measures for current and future underground storage tanks. With continued effort, the national UST program aims to protect more communities and ensure cleaner, healthier environments for generations to come.
Check out the report here!
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