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LUST and Petroleum Remediation Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM)

Indiana LUST and Petroleum Remediation

Indiana's LUST and petroleum remediation programs administered by IDEM. UST closure, site investigation, cleanup standards, and the Excess Liability Trust Fund.

Updated March 31, 2026 Source: IC 13-23; IC 13-24-1; 329 IAC 9

Overview

Indiana’s petroleum remediation programs are administered by IDEM’s Petroleum Remediation Section (PRS) within the Office of Land Quality. The PRS oversees two related programs:

  • Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) Program - for releases from federally regulated underground storage tanks, authorized under IC 13-23. This includes gasoline stations, fleet fueling facilities, and any property with regulated USTs that have had a confirmed or suspected release.
  • Certain Other Petroleum Releases (Petro) Program - for petroleum contamination from sources other than regulated USTs, authorized under IC 13-24-1. This includes releases from hydraulic lifts, above-ground storage tanks, waste oil tanks, and other non-UST petroleum sources.

Both programs follow the Remediation Closure Guide (RCG, WASTE-0046-R2) and the Petroleum Remediation Program Guide (WASTE-0082-NPD). The PRS uses the same Published Level Tables and risk framework as all other IDEM cleanup programs.

Underground Storage Tank Registration and Compliance

All UST systems containing regulated substances in Indiana must be registered with IDEM. Owners and operators must comply with federal technical standards at 40 CFR Part 280 as adopted in Indiana administrative code (329 IAC 9). This includes requirements for corrosion protection, spill and overfill prevention, release detection, financial responsibility, and operator training.

The UST Report, updated by IDEM periodically (most recently December 2025), lists all USTs known to the agency. The LUST Report lists all known leaking underground storage tank sites with priority and disposition information.

UST System Closure

Three types of UST closures are recognized:

  • Removal - all USTs, piping, and dispensers are physically removed. This is the most common closure type.
  • In-place closure - a portion or all of the USTs, piping, and dispensers are closed without physical removal, typically because they are inaccessible (under buildings, near utilities, etc.). This type requires prior OLQ approval.
  • Change-in-service - a UST system is converted from storing regulated substances to unregulated substances. This also requires prior OLQ approval.

Closure Notification and Reporting

The owner or operator must submit a 30-Day Request for Underground Storage Tank Closure (State Form 56553) at least 30 days prior to beginning the closure activity. Separately, IDEM, the Indiana State Fire Marshal, and the local fire department must be notified at least 14 days in advance of the intended closure date. For change-in-service closures, only OLQ notification is required.

An environmental site assessment of soil and groundwater is required for all UST system closures, consistent with the RCG and the Petroleum Remediation Program Guide. Table 3.1 of the Remediation Program Guide lists potential petroleum contaminants for various product or waste types and media. For source types not listed in the table, the owner/operator should contact OLQ.

Within 30 days after closure, the owner or operator must submit a UST Closure Report (State Form 56554) with the environmental assessment results. The report and supporting documents must be arranged in the order listed in Section X of the form.

Contractor Requirements

Under IC 13-23-3, the Indiana State Fire Marshal must certify all persons who install, upgrade, and decommission USTs. Owners and operators must use certified persons for all tank system installations, testing, upgrades, closures, removals, and changes-in-service. The UST Notification Form (State Form 45223) requires a signature and certification number from a certified worker or contractor.

Release Discovery and Reporting

If a petroleum release is suspected or confirmed, the owner or operator must contact IDEM within 24 hours of discovery. The LUST Initial Incident Report (State Form 54487) must be submitted to document the release.

Indicators of a suspected release include product loss, unexplained inventory discrepancies, tank integrity test failures, visible contamination during excavation, odors, sheen on water, and elevated readings from release detection monitoring.

Site Prioritization

IDEM assigns a priority to each LUST site based on site-specific information to ensure sites with the greatest potential to impact people are addressed first. Priorities are based on information submitted by the responsible party and their consultant. High-priority conditions include:

  • Contamination affecting or threatening a drinking water supply
  • Vapor intrusion into occupied buildings
  • Free product (LNAPL) present in monitoring wells or excavations
  • Contamination that has migrated off-site
  • Proximity to sensitive receptors (schools, hospitals, residential areas)

The LUST priority and disposition for each site is publicly available through the LUST Report on IDEM’s Data and Reports page.

Investigation and Remediation

Initial Site Characterization

Following a confirmed release, the responsible party must conduct an initial site characterization (ISC) consistent with the RCG and the Petroleum Remediation Program Guide. Borings and wells should be installed in areas most likely to be contaminated. Under IC 13-23-13-1, a QEP may submit an alternative procedure for ISC on behalf of the UST owner or operator, subject to IDEM Commissioner approval.

Investigation and remediation activity reports must be signed by a Qualified Environmental Professional (QEP), a licensed Professional Engineer (PE), or a licensed Professional Geologist (PG).

Common Petroleum Contaminants

Petroleum sites typically involve BTEX compounds (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes), MTBE, naphthalene, PAHs, and total petroleum hydrocarbons. Several important notes about Indiana Published Levels for petroleum chemicals:

  • Benzene has no residential or commercial direct-contact soil Published Level because it volatilizes before accumulating to concentrations of concern through long-term soil contact. The Indiana excavation screening levels for benzene (short-term worker exposure) is 2,000 mg/kg (soil saturation cap). The Indiana groundwater standards published level for benzene is 5 ug/L (the federal MCL).
  • Ethylbenzene similarly lacks residential soil values.
  • Indoor air and soil gas Published Levels are critical for evaluating vapor intrusion at petroleum sites. Indiana publishes six soil gas sub-columns covering subslab/deep and shallow exterior conditions for three land uses.

Remediation

Common remediation technologies at petroleum sites include excavation and off-site disposal, soil vapor extraction (SVE), air sparging, groundwater pump-and-treat, in-situ chemical oxidation, enhanced bioremediation, and monitored natural attenuation (MNA). The selected approach must be consistent with the RCG framework and approved by IDEM.

Site Closure

The PRS issues a No Further Action (NFA) determination upon successful completion of investigation and any necessary remediation. IDEM uses several closure disposition categories:

  • NFA - Unconditional Closure - the site was closed without property use restrictions. All applicable Published Levels are met.
  • NFA - Conditional Closure - the site was closed with an Environmental Restrictive Covenant (ERC) restricting future land use or requiring ongoing obligations.
  • Discontinued - the site remains active but IDEM designates it as discontinued for various reasons: referral to another program, facility cannot be located, or the site is a lower priority based on current information.

Excess Liability Trust Fund (ELTF)

The Excess Liability Trust Fund provides financial assistance for eligible UST owners and operators to pay for cleanup costs exceeding their deductible amount. The ELTF is funded through fees assessed on regulated tank systems. Key points:

  • The ELTF covers cleanup costs that exceed the tank owner’s deductible, up to the fund’s coverage limits
  • Eligible costs include site investigation, remediation, third-party damages, and certain legal costs
  • The fund does not cover upgrades, tank removal costs, or compliance violations unrelated to the release
  • Real-time information on ELTF claim status is available through the ELTF Claim Status Search on IDEM’s website

Note that the ELTF program develops its own guidance separately from the RCG.

Document Submission

IDEM requests that PRS correspondence, reports, and related documents under 15 MB be submitted electronically to LeakingUST@IDEM.in.gov. Paper copies and CDs are no longer necessary. Documents should be labeled using the format specified in IDEM correspondence:

  • Email subject line: REPORT NAME_FID (number)_LUST (number)_DATE (yyyymmdd)
  • Document file name: same format

For more information on document and data submittal guidelines, visit the LUST Home page or contact the site project manager.

Comparison to Ohio BUSTR

Indiana’s petroleum remediation program parallels Ohio’s Bureau of Underground Storage Tank Regulations (BUSTR). Key differences:

  • Cleanup framework: Indiana applies the unified RCG and Published Level Tables (at 1E-05 risk level) to petroleum sites, using the same standards as all other cleanup programs. Ohio’s BUSTR has its own Technical Guidance Manual (TGM, 2022) with program-specific closure action levels and corrective action standards that are separate from the VAP standards.
  • Tiered process: Ohio BUSTR uses a structured tiered corrective action pipeline (closure sampling, Tier 1 investigation, Tier 2 evaluation, interim response actions, RAP/Tier 3, through NFA). Indiana follows the general RCG investigation and closure framework without formally named tiers.
  • Financial assistance: Indiana’s ELTF provides excess liability coverage for eligible UST owners. Ohio’s Petroleum Underground Storage Tank Release Compensation Board (PUSTRCB) serves a similar function as a financial assurance fund.
  • Contractor certification: Indiana requires Indiana State Fire Marshal certification for UST contractors. Ohio requires BUSTR-certified installers/removers.
  • Spill reporting: Indiana requires 24-hour reporting to IDEM’s spill line. Ohio requires reporting to the State Fire Marshal and BUSTR.
  • State cleanup referral: Non-petroleum contamination discovered at LUST sites may be referred to the Indiana State Cleanup Program for separate management under IC 13-25-4.
  • Voluntary closure option: LUST sites may transfer to the Indiana VRP when a responsible party seeks formal liability protection through a Certificate of Completion and Covenant Not to Sue.

Source

IC 13-23 (Underground Storage Tanks). IC 13-24-1 (Petroleum Releases). 329 IAC 9 (UST regulations). 40 CFR Part 280 (Federal UST technical standards). IDEM Nonrule Policy Documents: Remediation Closure Guide (WASTE-0046-R2), Petroleum Remediation Program Guide (WASTE-0082-NPD).