La. Admin. Code tit. 33 § V-1905

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024

Section V-1905 - Design and Installation of New Tank Systems or Components

A. Owners or operators of new tank systems or components must obtain and submit to the Office of Environmental Services, at the time of submittal of Part II information, a written assessment, reviewed and certified by an independent, qualified professional engineer, in accordance with LAC 33:V.513, attesting that the tank system has sufficient structural integrity and is acceptable for the storing and treating of hazardous waste. The assessment must show that the foundation, structural support, seams, connections and pressure controls (if applicable) are adequately designed and that the tank system has sufficient structural strength, compatibility with the waste(s) to be stored or treated, and corrosion protection to ensure that it will not collapse, rupture or fail. This assessment, which will be used by the administrative authority to review and approve or disapprove the acceptability of the tank system design, must include, at a minimum, the following information:

1. design standard(s) according to which tank(s) and/or the ancillary equipment are constructed;

2. hazardous characteristics of the waste(s) to be handled;

3. for new tank systems or components in which the external shell of a metal tank or any external metal component of the tank system will be in contact with the soil or with water, a determination by a corrosion expert of:

a. factors affecting the potential for corrosion, including but not limited to:

i. soil moisture content;

ii. soil pH;

iii. soil sulfides level;

iv. soil resistivity;

v. structure to soil potential;

vi. influence of nearby underground metal structures (e.g., piping);

vii. existence of stray electric current;

viii. existing corrosion-protection measures (e.g., coating, cathodic protection); and

b. the type and degree of external corrosion protection that are needed to ensure the integrity of the tank system during the use of the tank system or component, consisting of one or more of the following:

i. corrosion-resistant materials of construction such as special alloys, fiberglass reinforced plastic, etc;

ii. corrosion-resistant coating (such as epoxy, fiberglass, etc.) with cathodic protection (e.g. impressed current or sacrificial anodes); and

iii. electrical isolation devices such as insulating joints, flanges, etc.;

4. for underground tank systems components that are likely to be adversely affected by vehicular traffic, a determination of design or operational measures that will protect the tank system against potential damage; and

5. design considerations to ensure that:

a. tank foundations will maintain the load of a full tank;

b. tank systems will be anchored to prevent flotation or dislodgment where the tank system is placed in a saturated zone, or is located within a seismic fault zone subject to the standards of LAC 33:V.1503.A.3; and

c. tank systems will withstand the effects of frost heave.

B. The owner or operator of a new tank system must ensure that proper handling procedures are adhered to in order to prevent damage to the system during installation.

1. Prior to covering, enclosing, or placing a new tank system or component in use, an independent, qualified installation inspector or an independent, qualified professional engineer, either of whom is trained and experienced in the proper installation of tank systems or components, must inspect the system for the presence of any of the following items:

a. weld breaks;

b. punctures;

c. scrapes of protective coatings;

d. cracks;

e. corrosion;

f. other structural damage or inadequate construction/installation.

2. All discrepancies must be remedied before the tank system is covered, enclosed, or placed in use.

C. New tank systems or components that are placed underground and that are backfilled must be provided with a backfill material that is a noncorrosive, porous, homogeneous substance and that is installed so that the backfill is placed completely around the tank and compacted to ensure that the tank and piping are fully and uniformly supported.

D. All new tanks and ancillary equipment must be tested for tightness prior to being covered, enclosed, or placed in use. If a tank system is found not to be tight, all repairs necessary to remedy the leak(s) in the system must be performed prior to the tank system being covered, enclosed, or placed into use.

E. Ancillary equipment must be supported and protected against physical damage and excessive stress due to settlement, vibration, expansion, or contraction.

F. The owner or operator must provide the type and degree of corrosion protection recommended by an independent corrosion expert, licensed in Louisiana, based on the information provided under LAC 33:V.1905.A.3 of this Section, or other corrosion protection if the administrative authority believes other corrosion protection is necessary to ensure the integrity of the tank system during use of the tank system. The installation of a corrosion protection system that is field fabricated must be supervised by an independent corrosion expert to ensure proper installation.

G. The owner or operator must obtain and keep on file at the facility written statements by those persons required to certify the design of the tank system and supervise the installation of the tank system in accordance with the requirements of LAC 33:V.1905.A, C, D, E and F of this Section, that attest that the tank system was properly designed and installed and that repairs, pursuant to LAC 33:V.1905.B, C and D of this Section, were performed. These written statements must also include the certification statement as required in LAC 33:V.513.

H. Owners or operators of new tanks systems or components subject to the accumulation time exclusion of LAC 33:V.1015.B must obtain and submit to the Office of Environmental Services, prior to placing the tank system in service, a written assessment, reviewed and certified by an independent registered professional engineer, in accordance with LAC 33:V.513, attesting that the tank system has sufficient structural integrity and is acceptable for storing or treating hazardous waste. The assessment must show that the foundation, structural support, seams, connections, and pressure controls (if applicable) are adequately designed, and that the tank system has sufficient structural strength, compatibility with the waste(s) to be stored or treated, and corrosion protection to ensure that it will not collapse, rupture, or fail. The assessment, which will be used by the administrative authority to review the acceptability of the tank system design, must include at a minimum the requirements specified in LAC 33:V.1905.A.1-5.

La. Admin. Code tit. 33, § V-1905

Promulgated by the Department of Environmental Quality, Office of Solid and Hazardous Waste, Hazardous Waste Division, LR 10:200 (March 1984), amended LR 13:651 (November 1987), LR 16:614 (July 1990), LR 16:683 (August 1990), amended by the Office of Environmental Assessment, Environmental Planning Division, LR 26:2475 (November 2000), amended by the Office of the Secretary, Legal Affairs Division, LR 33:2107 (October 2007), LR 34:995 (June 2008), Amended by the Office of the Secretary, Legal Affairs and Criminal Investigations Division, LR 46934 (7/1/2020).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 30:2180 et seq.