ABOUT THE BOARD

The Ohio Petroleum Underground Storage Tank Release Compensation Board (The Board) consists of government and industry representatives and has the primary responsibility of administering the Petroleum Financial Assurance Fund (“the Fund”). The Fund is a source of money derived from mandatory per-tank fees and is available to eligible underground storage tank owners to reimburse petroleum release clean up costs.

Please note: the Board does not issue permits for tank removal, installation, or repair and does not supervise the clean up of releases. Instead, these things are done by the Bureau of Underground Storage Tank Regulations (BUSTR), an agency under the Ohio State Fire Marshal’s authority.   

Check out our public inquiry search page!

UPCOMING MEETINGS

  ·  Finance Committee

There will be a Petroleum UST Release Compensation Board Finance Committee meeting on Wednesday, June 12, 2019, at 9:00 a.m. The committee will discuss investment options for the Fund.

  ·  Board Meeting

The next Petroleum UST Release Compensation Board meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 12, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. at the Board’s office location at 4151 Executive Parkway, Suite 350, Westerville, OH  43081. Click here for a schedule of 2019 calendar year’s Board meetings. Minutes from previous meetings are available on the Meetings page.

 RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

  ·  Per-Tank Fees for 2019
At its November 28, 2018 meeting, the Board voted to maintain fees and deductible amounts at the current levels for the upcoming 2019 program year. The fees will remain at $350 and $550 per-tank for the $55,000 and $11,000 deductible amounts, respectively.

  ·  2018 Certificates of Coverage

The 2018 Applications for a Certificate of Coverage are currently being processed. Certificates are printed and mailed bi-weekly. To check the status of your Certificate and verify the receipt of fee payment, visit the Board’s public inquiry web page at www.petroboardinquiry.org. If you have made payment, and did not receive your Certificate, please contact the Board’s office at 614-752-8963 or 1-800-224-4659. Click here to review the 2018 Addendum to the Certificate of Coverage.

  ·  Tank Fee Decrease for 2018

At its March meeting, the Board adopted an amendment to Ohio Administrative Code 3737-1-04 to reduce the annual Financial Assurance Fund fee from $400 per tank to $350 per tank for coverage at the standard $55,000 deductible. This rule change will also decrease the per-tank fee for coverage at the reduced $11,000 deductible from $600 per tank to $550 per tank.

  ·  Reimbursable Mileage Rate

Effective October 1, 2012, the Fund’s reimbursable mileage rate is based on the General Services Administration’s privately owned vehicle reimbursable mileage rate in effect at the time of travel. As of January 1, 2019, that rate is $0.58 per mile. Incurred mileage costs are reimbursed by the Fund at the rate in effect at the time of travel. For instance, mileage costs incurred on October 1, 2011 will be reimbursed by the Fund at the rate in effect on October 1, 2011 or $0.45 per mile. You can view the General Services Administration’s mileage rates at www.gsa.gov/mileage. For questions regarding the reimbursable mileage rate, please contact us.

  ·  Ability to Pay Program

The Board authorized an “Ability to Pay Program” whereby previous owners and/or operators of petroleum USTs experiencing financial difficulty may apply for and receive a determination of their ability to pay delinquent Financial Assurance Fund fees. In order to qualify for the program, the responsible person cannot currently own or operate petroleum USTs and if applicable, must have received a determination of no further action from the fire marshal for any release for which eligibility to claim against the Fund was granted. If the responsible person is an individual, the responsible person may submit the Individual Ability to Pay Fees application. If the responsible person is a corporation, limited liability company or partnership, please submit the Corporate Ability to Pay Fees application. For assistance with completing the application, please contact us.

  ·  Considering Purchasing a Tank?

The Board’s rules require the purchaser of underground storage tank(s) to pay a $500 per facility transfer fee plus any unpaid fees and/or penalties owed on the tank(s). Click here for more information about this rule as well as a list of items to consider before and after purchasing underground tanks.

  ·  Unclaimed Monies

Check out our unclaimed monies list to see if you are entitled to a refund of fees!

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