Aboveground Storage TankThese regulations apply to your facility if you have an aboveground storage tank storing flammable liquids with a capacity of 60 gallons or more, tanks with a maximum storage capacity equal to or greater than 1,100 gallons, and/or any new or replacement flammable liquid storage tank with a capacity of 60 gallons or more at a bulk plant, service station or processing plant.

Before installing any new or replacement flammable liquid storage tank with a capacity of 60 gallons or more at a bulk plant, service station or processing plant, the facility must submit duplicate copies of drawings/blueprints and a project plan to the State Fire Marshal for approval.  All flammable liquid storage tanks with a capacity greater than 1,100 gallons must also be registered with the State Fire Marshal.

Project Plan

Plans are required to be submitted to the State Fire Marshal’s office for any new permanent storage of liquid propane containers over 2,000-gallons individual water capacity, or with an aggregate water capacity exceeding 4,000 gallons and/or any amount of flammable or combustible liquid storage tank over 60 gallons. The plan needs to include basic information, details as well as drawings/blueprints. More information regarding the complete project plan can be viewed in the PDF to the right.

Tank Registration

If you have an aboveground petroleum (gas, diesel, and oil) storage tank with a capacity of 1,101 gallons or more that stores flammable materials, the tank must be registered with the Iowa State Fire Marshal and be affixed with a permanent tag signifying its registration.  Registration fee is $10.00.  All new tanks must be registered within 30 days of installation (late registration fee is $25.00) and every year thereafter.  Tank registration does not necessarily equal plan approval.  It should be noted that not all tanks require registration, but all tanks require plan approval.

Tanks that do not need to be registered include:

  • Tanks with a storage capacity less than 1,101 gallons,
  • Tanks storing heating oil for consumption on the property where it is stored,
  • Underground storage tanks defined by Code of Iowa Section 455B.471,
  • Flow-through process tanks or tanks containing regulated substances (other than motor vehicle fuel for transportation purposes) used as part of a manufacturing process, system, or facility.

Likewise, underground storage tanks that meet the UST rule do not need to be approved by the State Fire Marshal. 

Related Regulations

Additional regulations may apply to aboveground storage tanks such as the Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures (SPCC) Plan and the Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA) 112(r) Risk Management Plan (RMP).

Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures (SPCC) Plan

The SPCC requirements will apply if the total facility-wide storage capacity for all petroleum products (new product and used) is equal to or greater than 1,320 gallons.

CAAA 112(r) Risk Management Plan (RMP)

CAAA regulations, finalized in June 1996, require development and implementation of an RMP at facilities that manufacture, process, use, store or otherwise handle regulated substances in quantities that exceed specified thresholds.  The list consists of 77 toxic substances (vapor pressure greater than 10 mm Hg) and 63 flammable substances (flash point below 73 degrees F and boiling point below 100 degrees F).  Threshold quantities vary from 500 pounds to 20,000 pounds for toxic substances and 10,000 pounds for flammable substances.

If your facility exceeds the 10,000-pound threshold for an 112(r)-regulated flammable liquid, an RMP must be filed with the EPA.  If your facility does not exceed the 10,000-pound threshold, then an RMP is not required, but the facility must comply with 112(r)'s general duty clause.  The 112(r) general duty clause requires facilities to perform a hazard identification, to be designed, maintained, and operated in a safe manner and to incorporate measures to minimize the consequences of an accidental release.  The general duty clause does not specify how a business should comply or document compliance with these requirements.