Sec. 599.3. New underground tanks

(a) Label requirements.

(1) All new underground tanks must bear a permanent stencil, label or plate with the following information:

(i) a manufacturer's or qualified engineer's statement that, “This tank conforms with 6 NYCRR Part 599”;

(ii) the standard of design by which the tank was manufactured;

(iii) the hazardous substances which may be stored permanently and compatibly within the tank, or reference to a list available from the manufacturer which identifies substances compatible with all tank materials;

(iv) the year in which the tank was manufactured;

(v) the dimensions, design and working capacity, and model number of the tank; and

(vi) the name of the manufacturer.

(2) A label which shows the information required in subdivision (a) of this section, and in section 596.2(h) of this Title, and the date of installation must be conspicuously displayed and permanently affixed at the fill port. It must be readily visible to the carrier and may be imbedded in concrete, welded to the fill port, or otherwise permanently affixed.

(b) Tanks subject to scouring.

All new underground tanks subject to scouring by the inflow of hazardous materials or subject to wear from manual gauging must be equipped with wear plates, diffusers or alternate means to prevent localized wear or corrosion. If wear plates are used, they must cover an area of at least 144 square inches and be installed in a manner which avoids crevice corrosion.

(c) Tank designs.

(1) Underground tanks must be of sufficient structural strength to withstand normal handling and use. They must be compatible with the hazardous substance to be stored and be protected or resistant to all forms of internal and external wear, vibration, shock and corrosion. They must have a stable foundation under all operating conditions and be protected from fire, heat, vacuum and pressure which might cause tank failure. If fiberglass-reinforced-plastic material is used, the material must be of sufficient density and strength to form a hard, impermeable shell which will not crack, wick, wear, soften or separate under normal service conditions. Tanks must be designed with a minimum of 30 years of useful life unless a shorter life expectancy is defined in the spill prevention report.

(2) All new underground tanks, their welds, seams and connecting fittings must be factory tested for tightness using generally accepted engineering practices. All tanks sold in New York State must be guaranteed by the manufacturer to be tight.

(3) All new underground tanks must meet the criteria of this subdivision and must be designed, constructed and installed or certified by a qualified engineer or technician in accordance with one of the following:

(i) ULC Standard S603;

(ii) ASTM D4021-92 (see section 598.1[j] of this Title); or

(iii) any other consensus code, practice or standard developed by a nationally recognized association or independent testing laboratory which meet the specifications of this subdivision.

(d) Corrosion protection.

(1) All new underground tanks which are in contact with soil and subject to corrosion must be protected from external corrosion by one of the following:

(i) corrosion resistant materials; or

(ii) a cathodic protection system.

(2) Cathodic protection must consist of one or a combination of the following:

(i) sacrificial anodes and coating;

(ii) impressed current; or

(iii) other method that is designed and installed in accordance with a consensus code, standard or practice developed by a nationally recognized association or independent testing laboratory such as the following: API Publication No. 1632; ULC-S603.1, or NACE Standard RP-02-85 (see section 598.1[j] of this Title).

(3) The corrosion protection system must be designed and constructed by a qualified engineer or corrosion specialist and must provide a minimum of 30 years of protection against external corrosion. The engineer or specialist must supervise the installation of all field fabricated corrosion protection systems and pre-fabricated systems where necessary to assure that the system has been installed as designed.

(4) Tanks which are protected with sacrificial anodes must be electrically insulated from the piping if the piping is constructed of a conductive material unless the cathodic protection system has been designed to protect the tank and piping. Electrical insulation must be provided by dielectric fittings, bushings, washers, sleeves or gaskets which are chemically stable when exposed to the stored substances and soil.

(5) The cathodic protection system must be installed with a monitor that allows for annual review of the adequacy of protection.

(6) The tank must be isolated from or protected against stray electric currents which include underground cables, electric machinery, railroad systems and electrical grounding rods.

(7) Tank and piping connections of two dissimilar metals which create a corrosion inducing galvanic cell are prohibited.

(8) External coatings must be fiberglass-reinforced-plastic, epoxy, or other suitable dielectric material with a minimum thickness of 10 mils after curing. The coating must be factory applied or equivalent, have a coefficient of thermal expansion compatible with that of steel and be firmly bonded to the steel. It must be of sufficient strength and density to form a hard, impermeable shell that will not crack, wick, wear, soften, flake or separate and must be non-corrodible under adverse underground electrolytic conditions. The application of the coating must be in strict accordance with the instructions of the supplier of the coating material.

(9) Coatings must be inspected for air pockets, cracks, blisters, and pinholes, and must be electrically tested for coating faults. Any defects must be repaired in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions prior to installation.