ABSTRACT
This chapter investigates the regulatory approaches of states to site investigation and cleanup of hydrocarbon contaminated soils, primarily resulting from leaking underground storage tanks. Of particular concern to both regulatory and regulated communities is the development and application of cleanup levels to be used both as a tool for guidance and the establishment of cleanup objectives. Cleanup numbers may be classified into four categories based on their application. Soil cleanup standards are fixed standards comparable to air or water quality standards that have been established by law as a rule and are normally compound-specific. Corrective action levels are used at sites to be remediated. Guidance or action levels function to direct or dictate the response by the regulatory agency and serve to advise the responsible party if further corrective action is required. A remediation goal is an acceptable endpoint contaminant concentration, the value of which may be determined on a site-by-site basis.
