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New Rules Could Cost Oregon Sellers

By
Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty Portland Premiere

According to this article, when a home's soil is test to see if the oil tank is leaking they are testing for a carcinogen call benzene.  If too much benzene is found the oil tank has to be decommissioned.  This just means making sure that chemicals are not leaking to the home or groundwater.  Most of the time this does not require much soil removal to comply with guidelines but two new chemicals have been deemed carcinogenic by the Environmental Protection Agency. 

Naphthalene and ethylbenzene are now considered carcinogens and are a part of the updated screening test for leaky oil tanks.  Now more and more home owners are finding that the amount of work needed to fall within the guildelines can be more like $7,000.00 instead of $2,000.00. 

Usually these types of things get tested when trying to sell or buy a home and since this is a buyers market sellers are getting hit with an unexpected expense. 

It is very much a case-by-case scenario but home owners should know that passing this "test" has gotten a little tougher. 

Oil Tank Decommission

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/02/new_epa_and_oregon_rules_doubl.html

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Comments (6)

Holly Ivy-Wyllie
Keller Williams Portland Premiere - Salem, OR

This is good to know...I just had an oil tank situation and this did not come up.  I'm not armed with more information, thank you.

Mar 18, 2009 05:44 PM
Margaret Oscilia
Creative Concepts-Home Staging and Contracting, Salem Oregon - Salem, OR
Home Stager, Salem Oregon

Thanks for sharing this good to know information!  Homeowners that have oil tanks should have them decommissioned sooner rather than later - the longer the tanks are in the ground, the more opportunity for leakage.  We recently had one decommissioned and were lucky -- no soil contamination and the price was really affordable.

Mar 19, 2009 04:33 AM
Margaret Oscilia
Creative Concepts-Home Staging and Contracting, Salem Oregon - Salem, OR
Home Stager, Salem Oregon

Thanks for sharing this good to know information!  Homeowners that have oil tanks should have them decommissioned sooner rather than later - the longer the tanks are in the ground, the more opportunity for leakage.  We recently had one decommissioned and were lucky -- no soil contamination and the price was really affordable.

Mar 19, 2009 04:35 AM
George Bennett
Inactive - Port Orford, OR
Inactive Principal Broker, GRI

Thanks for the reminder.

Mar 22, 2009 05:18 PM
Maureen Bray Portland OR Home Stager ~ Room Solutions Staging
Room Solutions Staging, Portland OR - Portland, OR
"Staging Consultations that Sell Portland Homes"

Helpful updated info for sellers, thanks for posting.  It's been a few years since I had to deal with this issue and had no idea it had become so expensive to remedy.

Mar 24, 2009 04:31 PM
Not a real person
San Diego, CA

I'm lucky that oil tanks are few and far between on residential properties here. However, California has a whole list of chemicals that they consider carcinogenic or otherwise hazardous to human health.

Mar 27, 2009 02:58 AM