Mississippi
Underground storage tank closure
The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) tells prospective buyers what is required of an underground storage tank that is out of use, according to when the tank was taken out of service and whether it still holds product. MDEQ says owners must hire a contractor it has certified for most any type of work on a tank system, and its rules for certifying the persons who install, alter, test and permanently close tanks are 11 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 5, Ch. 3.
In a Phase I ESA
The general reading of a registered tank listing is on the UST / AST page, and a tank's registration is described on the Underground Storage Tank Program page. What MDEQ's pages add is what an old closure did and did not include. MDEQ sets out the cases by date:
- Out of service before January 1, 1974. If the tank was emptied of product at that time, nothing is required unless contamination is found. If the tank contains product, it must be registered with MDEQ and closed according to MDEQ closure requirements.
- Out of service before December 22, 1988. If the tank was emptied at that time, nothing but registration is required unless contamination is found. MDEQ says closure then did not require a state certified remover and sampling, and that tanks were generally filled with water or left empty. If the tank has product in it, it must be registered and should be closed according to MDEQ closure requirements.
- Out of service after December 22, 1988. A tank that does not meet the corrosion protection requirements should have been closed according to MDEQ closure requirements. One that meets them may remain temporarily out of service indefinitely as long as the corrosion protection is maintained, and should be emptied of product within 3 months of being taken out of service.
Closure letters, sampling and contractors
- After December 22, 1988. MDEQ says a tank closed in place after that date should have been closed according to its closure guidelines, that the owner should have received a "no further action" letter, and that MDEQ should have a copy on file. Ask for that letter.
- Before December 22, 1988. For a tank closed in place before that date, MDEQ says a letter from MDEQ about the location requires hiring an MDEQ certified contractor to take samples and have them analyzed by a laboratory. Once MDEQ receives the results, it will notify you in writing if no further action is required. Because closure before that date did not require sampling, ask whether anyone has sampled since.
- Before a purchase. For a tank taken out of service before December 22, 1988 and emptied of product at that time, MDEQ suggests that, as a precaution, a buyer might want to require the owner to remove the tank or collect soil or groundwater samples before the purchase. It says such a closure would include sampling by an MDEQ certified closer or a professional geologist or engineer, the analytical results, and a letter from the state saying whether more or no further action is needed.
- Who may do the work. MDEQ's list of certified companies marks with "I" those certified to install, alter and remove tanks, and with "C" those certified only to permanently close them.
Where to look a site up
- MDEQ's UST Online Search page links a map and downloadable tank reports. MDEQ also says its Underground Storage Tank staff can search the UST database to see whether a property has any USTs registered with the Department.
- MDEQ links its closure requirements and a List of Companies That Provide Tank Related Services. This handbook did not read either document.
Getting the file
For reviewing UST files, MDEQ's Environmental Firms FAQ says to contact its Public Records section at (601) 961-5171; its contact page gives (601) 961-5758 for public records requests. MDEQ's general route is a written public records request; see Public records requests.
Sources
Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality pages, read October 12, 2026, no modified date shown: