Underground storage tanks (USTs) are a critical part of the Veterans Health Administration’s healthcare facilities. The tanks store fuel for boilers and backup generators, which are essential to operations, especially during power failures. If the tanks are not properly installed and maintained, any chemicals they contain can be released into the environment, posing health and safety risks, such as cancer or adverse effects to reproductive, nervous, cardiovascular, and respiratory system health. The VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted this audit to determine whether VA is managing USTs according to federally established regulations to prevent corrosion, spillage and overfill, and releases of substances into the environment.
The OIG reviewed 44 regulated VA-owned and -operated USTs at eight selected medical facilities and found that seven facilities, which had 42 of the 44 USTs reviewed, failed to comply with relevant VA and federal requirements from October 1, 2022, through September 2023. Although there were no instances of chemical releases from the reviewed USTs found during the audit, the OIG identified inaccurate records of USTs or related monitoring equipment, prolonged responses to and correction of automatic tank gauge alarms, and inconsistent reporting of regulatory inspections and results. By addressing these concerns with increased oversight, VA can reduce the risk of potential releases that pose significant environmental and health risks to veterans and employees at its medical facilities.
The OIG made seven recommendations, including to provide guidance on correctly and consistently recording UST assets, as well as to ensure the oversight requirements in VHA directives and federal, state, and local codes, laws, and regulations are followed.
