Under MDEQ LUST, who is required to monitor and report potential leaks?

• A. Owners
• B. EPA
• C. Local governments
• D. Tenants

Answer: (A)

Under the LUST program run by MDEQ, the duty to monitor for leaks and report potential leaks from underground storage tanks falls to the tank’s owner or operator. This is because the owner is legally responsible for maintaining the system, implementing leak-detection measures, keeping records, and immediately notifying the regulatory agency if a release is suspected so that cleanup can begin. While federal standards may involve EPA in certain circumstances, the day-to-day monitoring and reporting obligation specific to this state program belongs to the owners. Tenants and local governments aren’t the primary parties required to monitor or report leaks under this framework unless they happen to own or operate the tank themselves.