Underground Storage Tank Compliance Act of 2003

This bill, introduced in 2003, aims to protect public health and groundwater by strengthening the oversight of underground storage tanks (USTs), which often hold petroleum or hazardous substances. It would require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or state agencies to conduct physical inspections of these tanks at least once every three years to ensure they are not leaking.

For everyday citizens, the bill’s primary impact is a cleaner environment and safer drinking water, as it provides more funding for states to clean up existing leaks and allows authorities to stop fuel deliveries to gas stations or facilities with non-compliant, high-risk tanks. Additionally, the bill introduces mandatory training for tank operators and expands the use of federal trust funds to address modern fuel additives that can contaminate local water supplies. While this specific bill was referred to a subcommittee and did not become law on its own, many of its core provisions were later adopted as part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005.