---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 6991k"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "6991k"
heading: "Delivery prohibition"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/6991k"
units:
  - "Chapter 82 — Solid Waste Disposal"
  - "Subchapter IX — Regulation of Underground Storage Tanks"
---

# §6991k. Delivery prohibition

- (a) **Requirements—**
  - (1) **Prohibition of delivery or deposit—** Beginning 2 years after August 8, 2005, it shall be unlawful to deliver to, deposit into, or accept a [regulated substance](/usc/42/6991.md?p=7) into an [underground storage tank](/usc/42/6991.md?p=10) at a facility which has been identified by the [Administrator](/usc/42/6903.md?p=1) or a [State](/usc/42/6903.md?p=31) implementing [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) to be ineligible for such delivery, deposit, or acceptance.
  - (2) **Guidance—** Within 1 year after August 8, 2005, the [Administrator](/usc/42/6903.md?p=1) shall, in consultation with the [States](/usc/42/6903.md?p=31), [underground storage tank](/usc/42/6991.md?p=10) [owners](/usc/42/6991.md?p=4), and product delivery industries, publish guidelines detailing the specific processes and procedures they will use to implement the provisions of this section. The processes and procedures include, at a minimum—
    - (A) the criteria for determining which [underground storage tank](/usc/42/6991.md?p=10) facilities are ineligible for delivery, deposit, or acceptance of a [regulated substance](/usc/42/6991.md?p=7);
    - (B) the mechanisms for identifying which facilities are ineligible for delivery, deposit, or acceptance of a [regulated substance](/usc/42/6991.md?p=7) to the [underground storage tank](/usc/42/6991.md?p=10) owning and fuel delivery industries;
    - (C) the process for reclassifying ineligible facilities as eligible for delivery, deposit, or acceptance of a [regulated substance](/usc/42/6991.md?p=7);
    - (D) one or more processes for providing adequate notice to [underground storage tank](/usc/42/6991.md?p=10) [owners](/usc/42/6991.md?p=4) and [operators](/usc/42/6991.md?p=3) and supplier industries that an [underground storage tank](/usc/42/6991.md?p=10) has been determined to be ineligible for delivery, deposit, or acceptance of a [regulated substance](/usc/42/6991.md?p=7); and
    - (E) a delineation of, or a process for determining, the specified geographic areas subject to [paragraph (4)](#a-4).
  - (3) **Compliance—** [States](/usc/42/6903.md?p=31) that receive funding under this subchapter shall, at a minimum, comply with the processes and procedures published under [paragraph (2)](#a-2).
  - (4) **Consideration—**
    - (A) **Rural and remote areas—** Subject to [subparagraph (B)](#a-4-B), the [Administrator](/usc/42/6903.md?p=1) or a [State](/usc/42/6903.md?p=31) may consider not treating an [underground storage tank](/usc/42/6991.md?p=10) as ineligible for delivery, deposit, or acceptance of a [regulated substance](/usc/42/6991.md?p=7) if such [treatment](/usc/42/6903.md?p=34) would jeopardize the availability of, or access to, fuel in any rural and remote areas unless an urgent threat to public health, as determined by the [Administrator](/usc/42/6903.md?p=1), exists.
    - (B) **Applicability—** [Subparagraph (A)](#a-4-A) shall apply only during the 180-day period following the date of a determination by the [Administrator](/usc/42/6903.md?p=1) or the appropriate [State](/usc/42/6903.md?p=31) under [subparagraph (A)](#a-4-A).
- (b) **Effect on State authority—** Nothing in this section shall affect or preempt the authority of a [State](/usc/42/6903.md?p=31) to prohibit the delivery, deposit, or acceptance of a [regulated substance](/usc/42/6991.md?p=7) to an [underground storage tank](/usc/42/6991.md?p=10).
- (c) **Defense to violation—** A [person](/usc/42/6991.md?p=5) shall not be in [violation](/usc/42/2000e–16a.md?p=c) of [subsection (a)(1)](#a-1) if the [person](/usc/42/6991.md?p=5) has not been provided with notice pursuant to [subsection (a)(2)(D)](#a-2-D) of the ineligibility of a facility for delivery, deposit, or acceptance of a [regulated substance](/usc/42/6991.md?p=7) as determined by the [Administrator](/usc/42/6903.md?p=1) or a [State](/usc/42/6903.md?p=31), as appropriate, under this section.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 89–272, title II, § 9012, as added Pub. L. 109–58, title XV, § 1527(a), Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 1098; amended Pub. L. 109–168, § 1(a)(1), Jan. 10, 2006, 119 Stat. 3580.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2006—Subsec. (a)(2)(D). Pub. L. 109–168 substituted “of a regulated” for “or a regulated”.