Details
June 5, 2025
2:15PM - 3:15PM
30 TAC 338 Rule Implementation
Shannon Frazier, TCEQ
This is a combined session with Environmental Hot Topics and Process Safety Tracks.
TCEQ adopted new 30 Texas Administrative Code Chapter 338, Aboveground Storage Vessel Safety Program, to implement the statutory changes to the Texas Water Code made by Senate Bill 900 during the 87th Legislative Session. The regulations identify the safety standards required by the statute and the entities regulated. The safety standards come from both federal regulations and national consensus standards. The program is intended to provide protection of groundwater and surface water resources in the event of an accident or natural disaster.
Regulated aboveground storage vessels (ASVs) under this program are made of non-earthen material, have a capacity of 21,000 gallons or more, store a regulated substance, and are located at a petrochemical plant, petroleum refinery, or bulk storage terminal. There are also specific exemptions set out in the rule.
Owners or operators of ASVs must register with the TCEQ and pay the annual registration fee by September 1, 2027. Owners or operators must certify compliance with the applicable safety standards by September 1, 2037, and then every 10 years thereafter. TCEQ will conduct on-site inspections at least once every five years to determine compliance.
TCEQ will discuss the requirements and deadlines for the new program and will provide updates on the status of the registration database, future outreach plans, and the guidance document currently under development.
