Owners of regulated petroleum aboveground storage tanks (ASTs) are required under the New Hampshire Code of Administrative Rules, Part Env-Wm 1402, Control of Aboveground Petroleum Storage Facilities, to register their AST facility with the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (DES). Registration is also required to be eligible for reimbursement of incurred expenditures associated with the cleanup of a petroleum release to the environment.

Who Must Register?

• Those facilities having a single aboveground tank system with an oil storage capacity of more than 660 gallons, and
• Those facilities with two or more aboveground tank systems to include all 55-gallon drums, having a combined oil storage capacity of more than 1,320 gallons, intended for storage, transfer, or distribution of oil as defined in RSA 146-A:2,III.
• Owners of facilities that have oil-filled electrical equipment that contain more than 660 gallons of oil.

• These requirements do not apply to ASTs with a combined capacity of 1,320 gallons or less that store virgin heating oil (not a waste or used oil) used solely to heat an on-premise structure. The tank must be connected to and directly supply fuel to the boiler or furnace furnishing the heat to the structure.
• Tanks that store any liquid that is a gas at atmospheric temperature and pressure such as propane.

When Do I Have to Register?
If you have an existing tank, you should register your tank as soon as possible. In fact, to ensure eligibility for New Hampshire petroleum reimbursement funds, tanks used for the storage, transfer and distribution of oil should have been registered by July 1, 1996, or within 30-days of their installation, whichever is later.

If your existing tank has not been registered, and you wish to obtain access to the funds, you may apply for a waiver of this deadline. The sooner you register your existing tank the better your chances that a waiver of the statutory deadline will be granted by the Oil Fund Disbursement Board. If you are installing a new tank, you must register the tank no more than 30 days after the tank was installed.

How Do I Register My Aboveground Storage Tank?
Registration is accomplished by completing a Registration of Aboveground Bulk Storage Facility form. A copy can be obtained by calling DES at (603) 271-6058. Complete the form entering all the information that applies to your facility. Mail the form to:

New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services
Attn: AST Program
P.O. Box 95, 29 Hazen Drive
Concord, NH 03302-0095

Who Do I Call If I Have Questions When Filling Out the Form?
Contact the NH Department of Environmental Services at (603) 271-6058.

If I Have Already Registered My Tanks, Do I Have to Do It Again?
Only if you make changes at your AST facility. The registration form doubles as a notification form. If you are changing the use of any of your tanks, or remove a tank, that change shall be indicated on an amended registration form submitted to DES within 30 days of that change. If you are installing a new tank at your facility, you must complete a new registration form providing information on that tank prior to operating the tank.

DISCLAIMER: Information contained in this Fact Sheet is current as of January 1, 2005. Statutory or regulatory changes that may occur after that date may cause part or all of the information to become invalid. If there are any questions concerning the current status of information, please contact DES at (603) 271-6058.