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RWM Home > Programs > Petroleum Clean Up

Petroleum Clean Up
Petroleum Cleanup

Introduction Maine's underground and aboveground petroleum storage facilities located across the state store motor fuels and heating oil. In addition to spills associated with transporting and delivering fuel, the storage tanks and associated piping can fail due to corrosion, physical damage, inadequate maintenance and vandalism. The spilled petroleum can contaminate soil, groundwater and air and exposure to petroleum contaminated media can b harmful to ones health., DEP has guidelines to measure levels of petroleum contamination and determine the clean-up necessary to minimize risk to public health.

Contacts The Petroleum Remedial Planning Unit manages the cleanup at large or complex sites. For further information, contact Tom Benn at 287-7662 or 287-2651. For information on Remediation Hydrogeology, contact Bruce Hunter at 287-7672 or 287-2651. For Engineering questions, contact Fred LaVallee at 287-7677 or 287-2651. For indoor Air Issues Contact Peter Eremita at 822-6364 or 287-2651.

Petroleum Clean Up Program Guidelines, Information, Lists, Policy and Procedures:

Long Term Petroleum Remediation Priority Lists (Updated October 2007) - The following Priority List refers only to petroleum-contaminated sites referred to the Division of Technical Services for long-term remediation. It is presented in two documents that differ only in how they are sorted: one sorted alphabetically by towns, the other sorted by its state priority ranking.

Updated March 31, 2008, View the Priority List sorted by state ranking in (pdf format)

Updated March 31, 2008, View the Priority List sorted by towns in (pdf format)

Petroleum Pre-Qualified Consultants List (Updated January 2008) - The following list contains the names, contact information and qualifications of companies places on the Pre-Qualified Consultants List for projects at petroleum remediation sites.

View the Pre-Qualified Consultants List

Land Treatment Guidelines - The file is the guidance for land treatment of petroleum contaminated soils. October 2006. (pdf format)
Contact: Robert Sypitkowski - (207) 941-4564

Procedural Guidelines for Establishing Action Levels and Remediation Goals for the Remediation of Oil Contaminated Soil and Groundwater in Maine - This guidance document outlines a decision tree approach using site specific geologic and human exposure related criteria to establish remediation goals for oil contaminated soil and groundwater.   Revised March, 2000.
Contact: George Seel - (207) 287-2651.

Guideline for Protecting Residents from Inhalation Exposure to Petroleum Vapors - Describes DEP's approach for responding to residential indoor air quality concerns resulting form fuel oil, gasoline and kerosene releases during storage or delivery. 271 pages. October 1998 (pdf format).
Contact: Peter Eremita - (207) 822-6300

Edited/Adapted Field Guideline for Protecting Residents from Inhalation Exposure to Petroleum Vapors. 34 Pages, June 2000. (pdf format).
Contact: Peter Eremita - (207) 822-6300

Trial Period findings from Trial Guideline for Protecting Residents from Inhalation Exposure to Petroleum Vapors - This study evaluates the efficacy of the Maine DEP's 12997 Trial Guidelines as it was used during the 1997/1998 heating season. This report describes results from this interim period and provides recommendations for revising the Trial Guideline. 170 Pages, October 1998. (pdf format).
Contact: Peter Eremita - (207) 822-6300

Updated June 2008 - Calibration Set Points for Photoionization (PIDs) and Flame Ionization Detectors (FIDs) Used in Field Headspace Determinations at Maine UST and LUST Sites.
Contact: Fred LaVallee - (207) 287-2651.

Evaluation of PID and FID Field Instrument Responses to Weathered Petroleum Products June 2004.
Contact: Fred LaVallee - (207) 287-2651.

Related Programs and Links

Aboveground Oil Storage Tanks

LUST Program Quality Assurance Plan

Underground Oil Storage Tanks

(Off Site)

Environmental Protection Agency - Underground Storage Tanks web site.

Ground Water Oil Clean-Up Fund - Information sheet on the fund. Explains fund coverage for owners and operators of underground and aboveground oil storage facilities.