Non-CSS Browsers: content starts here.
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 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.
| District | Specialist |
|---|---|
| LUFT/SMU Supervisor | Kate Sulka 805 686-8169 |
| Professional Geologist | Tom Rejzek 805 686-8176 |
| LUFT - Senior | Steve Nailor 805 686-8175 |
| LUFT | Nathan West 805 686-8142 |
| SMU - Senior | Paul McCaw 805 686-8171 |
| SMU | Matt Chircop 805 686-8172 |
| Administrative Office Professional III | Carey Carr 805 346-8216 |
| Administrative Office Professional II | Ron Wynn 805 686-8170 |
| File Review Coordinator | Paul Bailey 805 686-8164 |