The Fund Section receives and processes applications to the Petroleum Storage Tank Fund (the Fund) for reimbursement of costs related to assessment and cleanup of petroleum contaminated sites. Initially, sites are evaluated for eligibility to the Fund based on their compliance history. The initial application received for a site is referred to as the original application. The results of these evaluations are presented monthly to the Petroleum Storage Tank Committee where eligibility decisions are made. Any station not operated in full compliance may be assigned "percent reductions" by the Committee on their reimbursement awards. Any station operated in "substantial non-compliance" with OPS tank operating regulations may not be eligible. Following the Committee decision, supplemental applications are processed as they are received by the Fund Section staff. Most original applications and those sites where assessment activities are ongoing are processed via the traditional method of application review. For sites undergoing corrective action and that have an approved Economic Feasibility Summary (EFS), applications are submitted and processed using the electronic reimbursement application (eRAP) method of application review. Currently, 83% of applications submitted to the Fund are eRAPs.
