Underground Storage Tank Impact Model

Abstract

Leaking underground storage tanks (UST) pose a threat to the surround- ing environment and population. The Montana Department of Environmental Quality has completed two phases of a risk analysis with the purpose of identifying the USTs at the greatest risk of leaking in order to reallocate department resources. This analysis builds upon prior analyses in three ways: (1) identify how UST upgrades can reduce the risk of UST leaking, (2) how UST characteristics and upgrades relate to the cost of remediation, and (3) estimating the environmental impact of a release.