Start with the basics.
Understand what comes next.

We review the tank location and access, define the work, and coordinate the required permit and inspection arrangements. The tank is exposed, remaining liquids and sludge are managed, and the tank is cleaned and removed. The tank and surrounding conditions are evaluated. Testing, backfilling, restoration, and documentation follow the project scope and findings. A leak can add investigation and cleanup steps.

Separate the day of fieldwork from the whole project. Permits, utility coordination, municipal inspection availability, laboratory results, and restoration can affect the schedule. A straightforward removal may have a short field schedule; a leaking tank can require additional visits. Ask for a schedule covering each stage, especially if a closing is approaching.

Usually the work begins around the tank and equipment access route. The tank location, depth, nearby structures, and any contamination determine how much excavation is needed. We discuss access, landscaping, paving, and restoration before starting. If the scope changes, we explain why.

No. Age, rust, or an abandoned fill pipe alone do not establish how much oil, if any, reached the soil. A tank sweep locates suspected buried metal; it does not certify tank integrity or clean soil. Removal observations and appropriate sampling help answer those different questions.

No. Proper abandonment paperwork does not establish that the tank never leaked. NJDEP notes that contamination can be discovered when a previously abandoned tank is removed. Send us the old permit, abandonment report, and any laboratory results so we can review what was actually evaluated.

A useful price starts with the tank and property. Size, depth, access, remaining liquid, permits, sampling, and restoration all affect the scope. Remedi Tec provides a project-specific written proposal rather than advertising a price that may not fit your site. Tell us the address, known tank size, and whether it is underground, in a basement, or outdoors.

Ask whether the price includes permits, liquid and sludge handling, tank disposal, inspection coordination, laboratory testing, clean backfill, restoration, and a written report. Check the assumptions and exclusions. A removal quote and a leak-cleanup proposal cover different work; the lowest headline price may not include the same scope.

There is no reliable one-price answer before the extent is understood. Extra costs may include soil investigation, excavation and disposal by quantity, replacement fill, groundwater work, laboratory analysis, and reporting. Impacts beneath a building or near utilities can change the approach. We explain the known scope, unit costs where appropriate, and remaining uncertainties.

For an applicable UHOT closure submission, NJDEP currently lists a $400 review fee. That is separate from fieldwork, laboratory testing, and report preparation. Municipal permit fees and other project-specific charges may also apply. We identify the expected fees when defining the scope.

Possibly. Coverage and funding eligibility need a separate review; neither should be assumed when budgeting. Keep insurance correspondence, proposals, invoices, proof of payment, and reports. Ask about funding early. Our NJ UST Fund assistance page explains how we help organize the process.

Keep people away from the affected area and contact your environmental professional promptly. NJDEP says a discovered discharge must be reported immediately, within 15 minutes, to 1-877-927-6337. The homeowner or contractor can make the report. If there is a fire, immediate danger, or medical emergency, call 911.

No. It identifies a reported incident; it is not a cleanup estimate or severity score. Save the number with your site records so reports and follow-up correspondence can be matched to the incident. Sampling and investigation establish what work is needed.

UST means underground storage tank. UHOT refers to the unregulated heating oil tank program. “Unregulated” does not mean a leak can be ignored. Remediation means the investigation and work needed to address contamination. We explain which process applies to your tank rather than assuming every property follows the same path.

No. The response depends on the petroleum concentrations, how far and how deep impacts extend, groundwater, and surrounding structures. The goal is to define and address the problem. Additional sampling can help distinguish a limited affected area from a larger cleanup.

An eligible residential heating-oil case may be handled through the UHOT program by a qualified environmental professional. Regulated tanks and other site conditions can follow a different process. Matt is a licensed subsurface evaluator; Remedi Tec coordinates LSRP support when appropriate.

Post-excavation samples evaluate the soil left behind, rather than the material already hauled away. The sampling plan considers excavation size, sidewalls, bottom, and site conditions. Laboratory results help show whether the cleanup objectives have been met or further work is needed.

Petroleum can affect water beneath the ground as well as soil. Water in the excavation, site conditions, and investigation findings can make groundwater evaluation necessary. Passing soil results do not automatically establish groundwater conditions. We explain the purpose of temporary wells or monitoring wells before proposing the work.

We evaluate access and structural constraints before proposing further excavation. The next step may involve additional investigation, engineering coordination, or another remedial approach. Protecting the building and understanding the contamination are both part of defining a workable scope.

No. For a leaking tank, removal may only be the first step. Investigation, cleanup when needed, and the supporting report must address the discharge. For applicable UHOT cases, NJDEP reviews the closure submission and determines whether to issue a No Further Action (NFA) letter.

An NFA letter is NJDEP’s final remediation document for an applicable UHOT discharge. An RAO is a different closure document used in the LSRP process. For a home heating oil tank handled through UHOT, we pursue the appropriate NJDEP NFA letter. These documents are not interchangeable.

NJDEP’s homeowner FAQ says an NFA is not needed when an unregulated heating oil tank is closed with no evidence of discharge and passes municipal inspection. Keep the removal and permit records. A buyer or lender may have additional documentation requests.

Fieldwork, laboratory results, report preparation, and agency review are separate stages. Missing records or follow-up questions can extend the process. We can discuss your deadline and the current status, but cannot guarantee an NJDEP decision or closing date. Send the closing date at the start, not after work is complete.

Yes. Send the case number, removal report, laboratory reports, disposal receipts, permits, and agency correspondence. We review what has been completed and identify any gaps before proposing additional work. An existing removal does not necessarily mean that all required sampling or reporting was completed.

NJDEP’s NFA page explains how to check case status and locate agency records. Your municipality is the starting point for removal permits and inspection records. A missing online result is not proof that no tank or case existed. We can help identify the records to request.

Yes. The Petroleum Underground Storage Tank Remediation, Upgrade and Closure Fund can provide grants or loans for eligible leaking underground tank projects. NJDEP and NJEDA administer the program jointly. Eligibility, eligible costs, and available funding determine the outcome.

Yes. Remedi Tec has successfully helped clients obtain reimbursement through New Jersey’s UST Fund. We can review the project, help assemble the technical and cost documentation, and assist with follow-up. Prior results do not guarantee another application’s approval or reimbursement amount.

No. NJDEP currently says it is not accepting applications for non-leaking tanks. New leaking-tank applications are accepted and dated, but review and processing depend on available funding. Do not budget on immediate reimbursement or a guaranteed award.

Yes. Raise it early so application timing, the proposed scope, insurance information, and supporting records can be reviewed. Do not assume every past or planned cost qualifies. Funding paperwork should not delay required discharge reporting or urgent protective action.

Start with the property address, ownership information, case number, tank removal records, lab reports, cleanup proposals, invoices and payment records, any existing application, and insurance correspondence. We’ll identify what else is needed. Do not send tax returns or other sensitive financial records through the website message form; we’ll arrange an appropriate way to share them.