What is Article 12?
The registration of Toxic and Hazardous Storage Facilities in Suffolk County is mandated by Article 12 of the Suffolk County Sanitary Code. The purpose of Article 12 is to protect groundwater from chemical contamination by keeping the Suffolk County Department of Health Services (SCDHS) informed on how chemicals are being stored and at what quantities. The SCDHS requires the registration of Above ground Storage Tanks (AST), Underground Storage Tanks (UST), drum storage areas, and any other vessels carrying chemical substances that may contaminate groundwater.
Permit to Construct
A permit to construct (HMM-001) is necessary before the installation of any AST, UST, or drum storage area. The application requires the submittal of a drawing set detailing the proposed installation, a completed registration form, and a check in the amount of the required fees. The permit to construct, registration, and set of drawings must all be signed and sealed by a NY State Licensed Professional Engineer or Architect. All three of these documents will then be reviewed by SCDHS’s bureau of environmental engineering who will review both to make sure that they are in compliance with articles 7 and 12 of the Suffolk County Sanitary Code and the applicable building standards. The permit is issued for a period of one year if approved and can be renewed each year with an additional fee. If a permit is rejected with respect to Article 7, a letter from the SCDHS listing missing items and corrections to be made will be sent to the engineer. If there is a disagreement with the SCDHS, a formal board hearing can be requested.
Permit to Operate
After a permit to construct has been issued, the construction Toxic and Hazardous Storage Facilities can continue. Throughout the construction process inspections will be performed by the SCDHS’s who will then issue a permit to operate if the construction has been performed to code. Once a permit to operate has been issued and the pertinent fees have been paid, it must be renewed yearly. Some examples of things which require registration are chemical tanks, petroleum storage tanks, and abandoned tanks.
Do you need either of these permits?
Both of these permits are important to keep your Toxic and Hazardous Storage Facility in compliance if you have not done so. At Walden Environmental Engineering not only do we install new toxic and hazardous storage facilities, but we also help our clients to comply if they have a pre-existent non-registered facility. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to Call us at (516) 624-7200 and we will be more than happy to discuss any issues you may have.