Georgia UST Trust Fund (GUST)
The Georgia Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund (GUST), established under the Georgia Underground Storage Tank Act is designed to provide participating owners and operators coverage for corrective action made necessary by releases from underground storage tanks (USTs) containing petroleum products.
A UST owner or operator is entitled to reimbursement for reasonable corrective action costs regardless of whether he/she is working with the state contractor or a hired contractor. You may also be eligible to two party check status in which a contractor would also be reimbursed.
What Is Covered By The GUST Trust Fund?
- Removing petroleum product from a leaking UST system
- Removing free product from surface or groundwater
- Managing the petroleum saturated backfill
- Investigating the level of contamination on a UST system
- Preparing and implementing a Corrective Action Plan – Part A or B
- Labor and fringe benefits for companies or agencies using their own personnel to implement corrective action activities
Questions about what records may be required? Contact us or download our checklist for inspections here!
How Do I Qualify For The GUST Trust Fund?
Compliance Certification
The GUST Trust Fund application includes a Compliance Certification that allows the UST owner to attest to the particular compliance options utilized at the site. In recent years, the EPD has become more stringent in their review of these GUST Trust Fund applications and has regularly requested documentation providing proof of each of these compliance certifications. These trust fund application reviews are very thorough, and additional information is often requested to substantiate the compliance certification, including ATG reports (12 months), LTT reports, ALLD test, monthly inventory records, SIR records, corrosion protection testing report, and rectifier logs for the cathodic protection system, as applicable.
Required Documents
Additionally, as part of a GUST Trust Fund application review, the EPD may request copies of invoices and/or receipt showing the GUST Trust Fund fees. Although EPD inspections typically require 2 years of records, GUST Trust Fund application review letters normally request 3 years of records, usually requiring one invoice/receipt per quarter for the previous three years.
If your tanks are temporarily out of service, make sure to keep all of your records indefinitely. The EPD has recently denied GUST Trust Fund coverage to tank owners who have not been able to provide the required documentation. These site inspections can serve as a notice to any shortcomings in your site’s compliance and can provide for an opportunity to correct any issues before a release occurs. If a deficiency is discovered during the review of a GUST Trust Fund application, it is already too late to correct it.
Ready to get Started?
Want to know if you're elibible for GUST Trust Fund? Contact us! We can assist you in receiving reimbursement for remediation activities.