Do you store gasoline or diesel at your work site? Nassau County has changed the governing agency for gasoline and diesel underground and aboveground storage tanks.
Previously, anyone who wanted to install a petroleum bulk storage (PBS) underground storage tank (UST) or aboveground storage tank (AST) in Nassau County was required to submit Professional Engineering design plans and seek approval from the Nassau County Fire Marshal (NCFM). If someone wanted to put in a fuel oil UST or any other type of AST, they would need approval from the Nassau County Department of Health (NCDH). Recently this was changed when New York State decided that the same agency/department should review, approve, and manage all tank and bulk storage within Nassau County. As a result, starting on January 1, 2017 all UST and AST submittals must be approved by the NCDH. Additionally, all existing permits for any PBS storage will be transferred from the NCFM to the NCDH.
This governing agency change means that all those who have become familiar with the NCFM rules, regulations, and requests must now learn and familiarize themselves with the NCDH regulations.
If you are working on submitting an application for a new installation of gasoline or diesel tanks, you must ensure that your design follows all the NCDH rules and regulations. The NCDH requires four (4) copies of design drawings, completion of the NCDH registration form, and all other necessary information provided (e.g. equipment specifications, check list, etc).
If your design includes fire suppression (required for all flammable dispensing– i.e. gasoline pumps) or CCTV, those components must still be submitted to and approved by the NCFM. The rest of the tank design must be submitted to the NCDH. This means that your design must obtain approval from the NCFM regarding your fire suppression and/or CCTV before the NCDH can approve the rest of your tank design. In these cases you will need approval from both departments regarding your proposed project. Depending on where you are planning to install your PBS tanks, you could also be required to submit to local building departments in addition to the NCDH and NCFM. This complicated and time consuming process just got longer.
The transition between departments can cause confusion, aggravation, and delay projects. Walden is trained and knowledgeable on what both the NCFM and the NCDH need for their approval process for gasoline and diesel tanks. Walden has been designing, installing, and permitting tanks in Nassau County for over twenty (20) years. If expediting your project through this new complex process is important, Walden can help.
If you or your business have any questions regarding PBS storage, UST or AST installation, maintenance, or removal, or general permit questions, please call Walden Environmental Engineering at (516)624-7200 or go to our website for more information.