143-215.94U. Registration of petroleum commercial underground storage tanks; operation of petroleum underground storage tanks; operating permit required.

(a) The owner or operator of each petroleum commercial underground storage tank shall annually obtain an operating permit from the Department for the facility at which the tank is located. The Department shall issue an operating permit only if the owner or operator has done all of the following:

(1) Notified the Department of the existence of all tanks as required by 40 Code of Federal Regulations 280.22 (1 July 1994 Edition) or 42 U.S.C. 6991a, if applicable, at the facility.

(2) Paid all fees required under G.S. 143-215.94C for all commercial petroleum underground storage tanks located at the facility.

(3) Complies with applicable release detection, spill and overfill protection, and corrosion protection requirements set out in rules adopted pursuant to this Chapter, notifies the Department of the method or combination of methods of leak detection, spill and overfill protection, and corrosion protection in use, and certifies to the Department that all applicable release detection, spill and overfill protection, and corrosion protection requirements are being met for all petroleum underground storage tanks located at the facility.

(4) If applicable, complies with the Stage I vapor control requirements set out in 15A North Carolina Administrative Code 2D.0928, effective 1 March 1991, notifies the Department of the method or combination of methods of vapor control in use, and certifies to the Department that all Stage I vapor control requirements are being met for all petroleum underground storage tanks located at the facility.

(5) Substantially complied with the air quality, groundwater quality, and underground storage tank standards applicable to any activity in which the applicant has previously engaged and has been in substantial compliance with federal and State laws, regulations, and rules for the protection of the environment. In determining substantial compliance, the compliance history of the owner or operator and any parent, subsidiary, or other affiliate of the owner, operator, or parent may be considered.

(6) Demonstrated financial responsibility as required by G.S. 143-215.94H.

(b) The operating permit shall be issued at the time the commercial underground storage annual tank operating fee required under G.S. 143-215.94C(a) is paid and shall be valid from the first day of the month in which the fee is due through the last day of the last month for which the fee is paid in accordance with the schedule established by the Department under G.S. 143-215.94C(b).

(c) No person shall place a petroleum product, and no owner or operator shall cause a petroleum product to be placed, into an underground storage tank at a facility for which the owner or operator does not hold a currently valid operating permit.

(d) The Department shall issue an operating permit certificate for each facility that meets the requirements of subsection (a) of this section. The operating permit certificate shall identify the number of tanks at the facility and shall conspicuously display the date on which the permit expires. Except for the owner or operator, no person shall be liable under subsection (c) of this section if an unexpired operating permit certificate is displayed at the facility, unless the person knows or has reason to know that the owner or operator does not hold a currently valid operating permit for the facility.

(e) The Department may revoke an operating permit only if the owner or operator fails to continuously meet the requirements set out in subsection (a) of this section. If the Department revokes an operating permit, the owner or operator of the facility for which the operating permit was issued shall immediately surrender the operating permit certificate to the Department, unless the revocation is stayed pursuant to G.S. 150B-33. An owner or operator may challenge a decision by the Department to deny or revoke an operating permit by filing a contested case under Article 3 of Chapter 150B of the General Statutes.