Trust Fund
Only after a release has been reported, a site visit has been completed, and compliance records have been submitted, can the site be determined to be eligible for the Mississippi Groundwater Protection Trust Fund.
- What is the Mississippi Groundwater Protection Trust Fund (Trust Fund)?
- The Trust Fund is derived from a fee on motor fuels dispensed within the state of Mississippi and is collected by the State Tax Commission. The monies collected are deposited into an account that is administered by the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ).
- What is the purpose of the Trust Fund?
- Federal and state laws require that all underground storage tank owners be able to prove that they have at least $1.5 million dollars of financial responsibility to pay for the investigation and assessment of contamination from their leaking underground storage tank(s), the restoration and replacement of drinking water supplies; and cleanup of contamination from their underground storage tank(s). The tank owner also must be able to pay up to $1.0 million dollars in third party damages. The Trust Fund is a mechanism for eligible underground storage tank owners to use to prove that they meet the financial requirements without having to buy insurance.
- What must an underground storage tank owner do to be eligible for the Trust Fund?
- To be eligible for reimbursement from the Trust Fund, the tank owner must be in substantial compliance with the tank regulations including registration of the tank with MDEQ, providing leak detection for the underground storage tank system and leak detection records, corrosion protection for the underground storage tank system and applicable records, spill and overfill prevention for the underground storage tank system, and must have paid the applicable tank fees.
- What are the criteria for a Trust Fund site?
- To be eligible for reimbursement from the Trust Fund, a release at an underground storage tank site must be confirmed;
- be a motor fuel;
- be in use on or after July 1, 1988,
- be in substantial compliance with UST regulations; and
- pose a threat to the environment or public health or welfare.
- To be eligible for reimbursement from the Trust Fund, a release at an underground storage tank site must be confirmed;
- For what may Trust Fund monies be used?
- Monies from the Trust Fund may generally be used to evaluate and clean up environmental problems associated with a motor fuel release from an underground storage tank system. Each tank owner must receive prior written approval from the MDEQ, Office of Pollution Control, Underground Storage Tank Branch before incurring any expenses for which the tank owner expects Trust Fund reimbursement. The costs incurred during the clean up at each individual site must be evaluated for eligibility by the UST staff. However, generally reimbursable expenditures to the underground storage tank owner include the following:
- All digging, removal, disposal, and replacement of pavement and contaminated soil. However, MDEQ may reimburse only a portion of the cost for replacement of worn or damaged concrete/asphalt.
- Recovery of released or leaked motor fuels.
- Cleanup of contaminated surface or ground water.
- Installation and operation of recovery wells.
- Construction of interceptor trenches.
- Third party damages ordered by a court of law.
- Monies from the Trust Fund may generally be used to evaluate and clean up environmental problems associated with a motor fuel release from an underground storage tank system. Each tank owner must receive prior written approval from the MDEQ, Office of Pollution Control, Underground Storage Tank Branch before incurring any expenses for which the tank owner expects Trust Fund reimbursement. The costs incurred during the clean up at each individual site must be evaluated for eligibility by the UST staff. However, generally reimbursable expenditures to the underground storage tank owner include the following:
Additional Trust Fund Information rate Information
Rate Information
Our office has established maximum reimbursable rates for some activities as indicated below:
Proposal Forms
Our office must pre-approved all activities and costs in order for the work to be reimbursable to the tank owner through the Trust Fund. Based on the activities, the following forms must be completed:
Reporting and Invoicing Forms
After the work has been completed, some of the following reporting or invoicing forms must be submitted with the invoice packages:
