Mar 15, 2024
BATON ROUGE, LA –The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) has a new Underground Storage Tank (UST) grant program. This grant program is tailored to reimburse up to $150,000 per year for UST sites that are upgraded from single-walled tanks and/or piping to new double-walled standards. The program is available for private citizens and companies to help finance costs to upgrade and/or improve single wall underground storage tank systems.
Monica Montero, CEO of KourCo Environmental Services Inc. believes the grant program speaks to LDEQ’s ability to effect change. “LDEQ’s initiative is extremely beneficial to small businesses in the retail gasoline industry across Louisiana. The Department’s commitment to more than dollars and cents will not only protect the environment, but result in more sustainable business opportunities for these small business owners.”
The program is funded with cost recovery and interest money earned from the Tank Trust Fund account (the account formerly known as the LA UST Motor Fuels Trust Fund). LDEQ will reimburse up to 20 UST owners as much as $150,000 toward the cost of the upgrades over a year. “LDEQ worked hard with Louisiana Underground Storage Tank business owners to develop this program. This program will help small business owners upgrade to modern tank systems while also reducing leaks to the environment, which in turn reduces cleanup cost,” stated UST Administrator Gary Fulton.
The grants are available only to business owners in Louisiana who are in compliance with UST regulations. LDEQ will be accepting grant applications through March 31, 2024, for the first grant period. LDEQ has a disbursement date of July 1.
LDEQ has posted the regulations, a fact sheet, grant program process steps, the grant application form, and the grant reimbursement form on the LDEQ website at: https/www.deq.louisiana.gov/page/ust-grant-program. Manager for UST grant program is Kyle Blanchard and he can be reached at 225-219-3618 or email Kyle.Blanchard@la.gov.