Walden is currently providing a Long Island facility assistance in registering 28 different Chemical Bulk Storage (CBS) with the Suffolk County Department of Health Services (SDHS). These CBS areas include tanks and various drum storage locations. The facility’s files contained no permit to construct or approved drawings for the CBS areas. Most tanks on site were custom built and Walden was only able to track one of the tanks to a definite manufacturer. Walden engineers performed an initial site visit to take photographs and measurements of the tanks, and to document any important information. The measurements included tank and secondary containment dimensions as well as tank fitting sizes. Details recorded included tank, pipe and secondary containment material, and notes on tank functionality gathered from the facility’s EHS Coordinator and knowledgeable employees.
Based on the information gathered during the site inspection, Walden prepared as-built drawings and other supporting documentation for the SCDHS submittal package, which included a permit to construct. The drawings were stamped and sealed by a Professional Engineer as required by SCDHS. After reviewing the submittal, SCDHS issued a letter of rejection, requiring amendments in the form of tank upgrades and/or clarifications per Suffolk County Sanitary Code Article 12. Some of the upgrades included increases in secondary containment volume and clarifications in various tank substances. SCDHS also indicated that the facility did not comply with the applicable CBS storage volume limits set forth in Article 7 for buildings with gross floor area greater than 20,000 square feet (total liquid capacity stored at any time not to exceed 0.0125 gallons per square foot of gross floor area).
Walden is currently coordinating with the client as various CBS areas are upgraded in accordance with Suffolk County Sanitary Code Article 12 requirements. In addition, Walden is working with the client and SCDHS to obtain a variance from the Suffolk County Sanitary Code Article 7 limit on total volume stored on-site. The facility is evaluating measures to reduce on-site storage to the extent possible while maintaining effective operations. Once the variance request is granted, Walden will submit the amended as-builts to SCDHS for approval.