Claims Process

The purpose of the Fund is to reimburse eligible tank owners for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred while remediating contamination from registered underground storage tanks.

To be eligible for claim benefits, participants must meet all of the following requirements:

• Claims must be reported within 60 days after discovery of a release.
• The claimant is the owner/operator of the tank.
• The Fund's fees are current at the time of release discovery.
• The tanks are registered with the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) unless it is a heating oil tank that opted into the program.
• The tank owner/operator has obtained permits, if required.
• The tank owner/operator can prove a release occurred on or after February 1, 1994.
• The claimant cooperates with the Fund in the investigation of the claim.

Claims are investigated by the Fund's Third Party Administrator who makes a recommendation to the Fund concerning eligibility.

If the claim has been deemed eligible by the Fund, it may be advertised for competitive bidding by interested remediation contractors as explained in more detail in Bulletin #5, Competitive Bidding.

The Fund is obligated by statute and regulation to pay only those expenses that are considered reasonable and necessary. Occasionally, the Fund will issue bulletins as guidance regarding certain aspects of the claim process.