Seattle Oil Tank Abatement Law
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This Seattle law changed recently. If your heat system has been changed from oil to anything else, and your heating oil tank is unsed, the time has come for abatement.
The Seattle Fire Department is charged with regulating certain safety aspects of heating systems, including, but not limited to hot water and steam boilers and fuel supply systems including gas and oil. Ever since the Exxon Valdes oil spill there has been concern about gas and oil storage tanks in the ground as well as ships carrying oil and the pollution that might result from a leak or a spill.
One of the areas of concern has been residential oil storage tanks used in home heating. Over the years, the concerns and methods of remediation and the cost thereof has leveled, but there are laws on the books everywhere and owners of land that contain unused fuel storage tanks should pay attention to them.
In Seattle, for the past several years it has been permissible to simple pump the oil out of an unused tank and permanently cap the tank. There are jurisdictions which insist that filling tanks with cement was necessary because the tanks could rust out, cave in, and there was the potential for injury to someone who might fall in the hole. Since there had been no record of an unused heating oil tank collapsing in Seattle the Fire Department was okay with doing the ecologically responsible thing and insisting only on the steps necessary to prevent ground and ground water contamination.
However, for some unannounced reason, they are now insisting that the tank be filled or removed, and they are recommending removal.
Bottom line: If you own property and have an unused heating oil tank, remove it, do the clean-up if necessary, and move on. It will be much cheaper for you to do it now, according to the city guidelines, than for you to do it later, under pressure, when a buyer is forcing the issue at the time you want to sell. It just makes sense.
Glenn Roberts, SRES*
Lake and Company Real Estate
206-524-3665
Seattle Residential ~ I Do That
Licensed broker since 1985 offering spectacular service to buyers and sellers in greater Seattle, with particular interest in Green Lake, Ballard, Phinney Ridge, Wallingford, Ravenna, Bryant, View Ridge, Roosevelt and the University District.
*Senior Real Estate Specialist
Referrals from past clients and other agents always make me smile.
