Corrective Action

Corrective action is the term used to describe the investigation, remediation, and monitoring activities required when a release from an underground storage tank system is confirmed. The corrective action process is governed by federal regulations (40 CFR Part 280, Subpart F) and supplemented by state-specific requirements.

The corrective action process typically follows these steps: initial response and abatement (stopping the release and immediate threats), initial site characterization, free product removal, site investigation to define the extent of contamination, corrective action plan development, implementation of remediation, and confirmation monitoring to verify cleanup goals are met.

The timeline and cost of corrective action vary enormously depending on the severity of contamination, site conditions, and applicable cleanup standards. Simple cases may be resolved in under a year for tens of thousands of dollars, while complex sites with extensive groundwater contamination can require decades of work and millions in remediation costs. State cleanup funds and the federal LUST Trust Fund help offset these costs.