Underground Storage Tank (UST) Program

Underground storage tank system illustration

UST Preapproval Program

Revised on: January 23, 2020 - 3:54pm

House Bill 2704 enhances financial opportunities for underground storage tank owners, operators and land owners | Learn More >

What is the Preapproval Program?

If you have a facility with contamination from a leaking UST, you may qualify for financial assistance from ADEQ. Under the Preapproval program, ADEQ works closely with UST owners, operators and property owners (applicants) to develop a cleanup plan. ADEQ also works closely with customers during the application process, focusing on identifying specific phases of required work and developing schedules and budgets for that work.

Are You Eligible?

This program focuses on providing assistance to owners and operators who can demonstrate compliance with financial responsibility requirements. Reimbursement is limited to costs that are not being covered by the applicable financial assurance mechanism. Upon the request of the applicant, ADEQ will provide assistance in pursuit of coverage from their source of financial assurance.

To determine if you qualify, you may request an eligibility consultation by email. Please include your name and relationship to the facility, the ADEQ assigned facility ID number, and LUST number(s).

Request an eligibility consultation today | Email Request >

Please refer to Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) § 49-1006.02 (A, B and C) to review eligibility requirements | View >

Note: Property owners who are not UST owners or operators, and who meet requirements of ARS § 49-1016 (C), are also eligible to participate in this program. For these applicants, ADEQ has a lien for unrecovered corrective action costs.

How to Receive Reimbursement

All work and costs must be preapproved by ADEQ. Depending on your financial assurance mechanism, certain applicants will be required to meet a $50,000 cost share obligation for work conducted on or after Jan. 1, 2016.1

Applicants are responsible for hiring, managing and paying their contractors for the work. With their request for reimbursement, applicants must also submit the required documentation for the activities and costs to ADEQ. The agency will reimburse for eligible costs.

Learn all steps involved in participating in the Preapproval Program | Preapproval Program Process >

ADEQ has also developed an expedited preapproval process to address corrective action costs incurred for newly discovered contamination and to address corrective action costs necessary to avoid risk to public health and the environment. Applications submitted through this process will be prioritized for expedited review by ADEQ | Expedited Preapproval Process >

1State reimbursement monies provided through the Time-Barred Claims program may not be used to meet the cost share obligation.

The ADEQ Preapproval Program does not provide federally and state required coverage for UST releases and third-party damages. This means funding through the ADEQ Preapproval Program is not financial assurance and cannot be used to demonstrate compliance with financial responsibility. The financial assurance mechanism(s) utilized by UST owners and operators to demonstrate compliance with financial responsibility requirements is primary to eligibility for state reimbursement funding.

UST owners and operators relying on UST insurance to demonstrate compliance with financial responsibility (FR), activities conducted, and costs incurred without following notification requirements under their UST insurance policy may be denied insurance coverage and may not be eligible for reimbursement under this program.