Oil Tank Abandonment (Closure in Place) in Westchester County

Sometimes a tank sits under a porch, an addition or a mature tree and can't be dug out. In that case it may be closed in place: emptied, cleaned, tested and filled with an inert material such as sand or concrete.

What to know

• Closure in place usually needs the same permit as a removal.
• In Pleasantville, closure in place is allowed only if the tank has no holes and the soil shows no contamination.
• Soil is sampled below the tank through a hole drilled or cut into it.
• The NYS DEC notes that an abandoned tank can cost more later when you sell, because buyers and lenders often ask for an environmental assessment or removal anyway.