LUFT/SMU Manual

The Santa Barbara County Fire Department oversees the cleanup of unauthorized releases from Leaking Underground Fuel Tanks with the LUFT Program and non-LUFT spills with the Site Mitigation Unit (SMU) Program.
The LUFT/SMU Manual presents the requirements for the investigation and cleanup of these sites within Santa Barbara County.
The manual is intended to aid Responsible Parties, their consultants, and others who perform environmental investigations and cleanups within Santa Barbara County. These guidelines are set forth to provide uniform direction for those involved in environmental site investigations and remedial activities.

Leaking Underground Fuel Tanks Program

The SWRCB managed California UST Cleanup Fund assists owner/operators of USTs with the costs of cleaning contaminated soil and groundwater caused by leaking petroleum tanks. Every petroleum UST owner is required to pay a per gallon storage fee to the fund until January 1, 2011. Only a current or past owner/operator of a petroleum underground storage tank which has released petroleum and is subject to state regulation is eligible to file a claim. Owners of small home heating oil tanks which have released petroleum are also eligible. Other eligibility conditions include compliance with applicable state permit requirements and regulatory agency cleanup orders. Claims are processed on a priority basis. The SWRCB Division of Clean Water Programs Underground Storage Tank Cleanup Fund overview has more information about the fund and the priority system.

The SBCFD HMU Leaking Underground Fuel Tanks (LUFT) program is the SWRCB UST Cleanup Fund Local Oversight Program (LOP) for the County of Santa Barbara. SBCFD HMU oversees the assessment and remediation of petroleum releases from underground storage tanks, assists in responsible party identification, and provides oversight of assessment, remediation, and closure activities within Santa Barbara County based on the established regulations. SBCFD HMU also tracks MTBE within the guidelines of the SWRCB.

Site Mitigation Unit

The SBCFD HMU Site Mitigation Unit (SMU) provides regulatory oversight for the assessment and remediation of all "unauthorized hazardous material releases" other than petroleum releases from underground storage tanks and crude oil releases. Oversight includes identifying responsible parties, and overseeing assessment, remediation, and closure activities. The SBCFD HMU middletains lead agency status for regulatory oversight of the SMU program. The SBCFD HMU and the Region 3 - Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) coordinate their efforts for sites involving both groundwater and solvent contamination.

Site Mitigation Unit 2 - Oil Field Restoration Program

The SBCFD HMU Site Mitigation Unit 2 - Oil Field Restoration Program (SMU-2) provides regulatory direction, oversight, inspection and enforcement over oil fields, including lease decommissioning, restoration and beneficial use of oil field impacted materials. This includes discharges to the environment from oil recovery practices at oil fields or lease sites within Santa Barbara County. There is an inter-agency coordination agreement between the RWQCB and SBCFD HMU.

LUFT, SMU & SMU-2 Program Site Lists

Download the most recent copies of our site lists for the LUFT/SMU/SMU-2 Programs only. These lists are not intended for marketing purposes, and only include sites that we are aware of at the time of the publication of the lists.

Oilfield/Lease Decommissioning and Restoration Program

Oil drilling has historically involved holding areas or depressions in the ground known as sumps used to contain water, drilling mud, and oily soil, during the drilling process. These sumps were eventually covered with soil and may contain miscellaneous debris. Many sumps remain on open land, while some are located in, or near, areas that have been developed for business and residential uses. Many of these sumps have since been removed while others remain in the ground.
These areas may require investigation and potential remediation. During a investigation phase of our process, these features are identified and subsequent requirements are identified.
Learn More about the Site Restoration Program

LUFT/SMU/SMU-2 Program Specialists

LUFT/SMU/SMU-2 Specialists work with the Central Coast RWQCB to ensure that proper coordination of cleanup activities occurs at all sites in Santa Barbara County.

 

DistrictSpecialist
LUFT/SMU Supervisor Kate Sulka  805 686-8169
Professional Geologist Tom Rejzek  805 686-8176
North County LUFT-Senior Steve Nailor  805 686-8175
South County LUFT-Senior Andrea Murphy  805-686-8146
South County LUFT Nathan West  805 686-8142
Primarily SMU-2-Senior Paul McCaw  805 686-8165
SMU & SMU-2 Joshua Neipp  805 686-8140
Primarily SMU-2 Matt Chircop  805 686-8172
Departmental Assistant Carey Carr  805 346-8216
Publications Assistant Ron Wynn  805 686-8170
File Review Coordinator Paul Bailey  805 686-8173

Oilfield/Lease Decommissioning and Restoration Program

Oil drilling has historically involved holding areas or depressions in the ground known as sumps used to contain water, drilling mud, and oily soil, during the drilling process. These sumps were eventually covered with soil and may contain miscellaneous debris. Many sumps remain on open land, while some are located in, or near, areas that have been developed for business and residential uses. Many of these sumps have since been removed while others remain in the ground.
These areas may require investigation and potential remediation. During a investigation phase of our process, these features are identified and subsequent requirements are identified.
Learn More about the Site Restoration Program