Last Updated on Wednesday, 11 April 2012 15:31

Effective January 1, 2011, the Department of Health's PBS fines/civil penalties were increased per state regulations to conform to those of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. A link to the revised PBS/GDS fine matrix can be found below.

The Petroleum Bulk Storage Program, administered by the Department since 1998, is based on a delegation of authority by NYSDEC. In 2009, NYSDEC further delegated the Gasoline Dispensing Sites and Transport Vehicles Code to the Department. The responsibilities of these programs include registering, monitoring, testing and, where necessary, requiring remediation of code violations for all regulated facilities in Westchester County.

The definition of a Petroleum Bulk Storage facility is "a single property or contiguous or adjacent properties used for a common purpose which are owned or operated by the same person on or in which are located:

• One or more stationary tanks which are used singularly or in combination for the storage or containment of more than one thousand one hundred gallons of petroleum; or
• All stationary tanks used for storage of used oil; or
• Any tank whose capacity is greater than one hundred ten gallons that is used for the storage or containment of petroleum, the volume of which is ten percent or more beneath the surface of the ground."

A Gasoline Dispensing Site is defined as any site where gasoline is dispensed into vehicle fuel tanks or into portable containers used to fuel any motor from any stationary storage container(s) larger than 250 gallons.

There are over 3,000 active facilities in the county which own or operate petroleum bulk storage tanks and/or dispense gasoline. Approximately 7.500 tanks are regualted by these codes. Tanks affected by these codes are found mainly at commercial facilities, gasoline stations and large apartment buildings.

Violations of the code may result in fines of up to $37,500 per day per violation.

The mailing address for Petroleum Bulk Storage is: 

Westchester County Department of Health
Petroleum Bulk Storage Unit
145 Huguenot Street
 New Rochelle, NY 10801

For more information, call (914) 813-5161.
  
The following links will help you in understanding the codes as well as provide forms which are necessary in maintaining compliance with the code. 

Forms

• Article XXVI Requirements
• Article XXVI: Gasoline Dispensing Sites and Transport Vehicles
• Article XXV: Petroleum Bulk Storage
• PBS/GDS Fine Matrix
• Work Permit Application and instructions
• PBS Fee Schedule
• Inventory Reconciliation
• Gasoline Dispensing Sites Daily Inspection 
• Aboveground tank inspection
• Aboveground Tank Secondary Containment (new)
• Tank Labeling Requirements (updated 1/2012)
• Leak Monitoring
• Non-Stationary Containers
• PBS GDS Application and PBS GDS Application Instructions
• Authorized Representative for Multiple Owners Form (new)
• Tank Tester Registration Application
• Tank Testing Notification
• Tank Closure Notification (updated 2/2012) 
• Registered Tightness Testers (updated 4/2012) 
• Environmental Contractor (updated 1/2012)