California Environmental Reporting System (CERS)

Question: How should a CUPA close out a UST when the facility owner or operator is unavailable?

Answer: If an active business organization is no longer associated with a facility where the UST(s) was closed/removed and not correctly reported in CERS the UPA (CUPA or PA) can make a submittal on behalf of the business organization to report the UST(s) closed. If the business organization is still active but for some reason cannot or will not make the closure submittal prior authorization from the business organization is required.

Process:

• Log into the Business portal of CERS and find the facility. Access the business organization related to the closed tank facility by using the ‘People/Users’ feature or using the ‘My Business’ tab.

• Add yourself as a lead user to the business organization (It’s quick and easy!).
• Select the ‘Add Person’ button
• Enter your email address. Note: Always use your UPA email account
• Select lead user and then the ‘Save’ button




Now that you are associated with the business organization you can prepare a UST closure submittal on behalf of the business organization. Follow these steps:

• Start a UST submittal. Use a previous submittal, if available, as the starting point. If a previous submittal is not available, you would need to enter the minimally required facility and UST information to make the submittal.
• On the Facility Operating Permit Application select the ‘Permanent Facility Closure’ type of action when all USTs are being closed. If there will be remaining active USTs at this site, select the ‘Confirmed/Updated Information’ type of action

• UST Facility Operating Permit Application
• Enter the correct type of action. If the UST(s) closure will close or remove all tanks at the facility the facility type of action must be set = Permanent Facility Closure

• On the UST Tank Information/Monitoring Plan
• Select the applicable ‘Permanent Closure’ or ‘Removal’ type of action
• Enter the correct tank closure date
• Add a comment to the 'additional information' field documenting that you are making this closure submittal on behalf of the business organization. Always include your name and your UPA agency name
• Do these steps for each tank that has been closed and not reported

• Prepare a Business Information submittal and include a similar comment in the Business Activities’ Additional Information section that you are making this closure submittal on behalf of the business organization. Always include your name and your UPA agency name


• Make the submittal. This is to include both the Business Information and UST submittal elements. Log into the Regulator portal and confirm that the submittal is viewable in the Regulator portal
• As a regulator, accept the submittal

Once you have accepted the closure submittal you need to remove yourself as a lead user from the business organization. Follow these steps:

• As you did initially, access the business organization related to the closed tank facility by using the ‘People/Users’ feature or using the ‘My Business’ tab

• Select your name from the list of business users

• Select the ‘Delete’ button and confirm you want to delete you as a business user.

You have completed the tank closure submittal process and are no longer associated with the business organization. If you have questions or need further information regarding this process contact daniel.firth@waterboards.ca.gov or tom.henderson@waterboards.ca.gov