Indian Country Class A/B Course September 16 Now Online

Ben Thomas of UST Training is excited to offer a live webinar on September 16, 2020 on Indian Country Class A/B UST Operator Training. The course open to any and all Indian Country UST operators with Federally regulated USTs.

Since October of 2018, all Indian Country UST sites must have a trained, certified Class A/B operator to be in compliance with EPA UST rules. Plus we know from experience trained operators tend to have fewer leaks, spills and violations.

The class is sponsored by the Tribal Convenience Store Association (TCSA) and is in conjunction with their Board Meeting which will be held virtually this year due to COVID-19 concerns.

Register now!

UST Training is excited to offer the nation’s first Class C UST Operator course via live webinar in Hindi.

Sign up today!

This 45-minute class is perfect for any Hindi-speaking employee of a convenience store who needs to know how to detect and respond to spills, leaks, alarms and other accidents.

We’ve teamed up with Javed Surani of Your Environmental Specialist who will narrate in real time our Class C course in Hindi.

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality just sent a notice to all UST owners and operators that ” ADEQ has suspended Class A and B, no cost, in-person Operator Training classes” and they “are are working diligently to restore the no cost, in-person classes and we apologize for any inconvenience.”

We at UST Training offer a self-paced Class A/B course that meets and exceeds ADEQ requirements so consider us when looking for an interim solution Click here to learn more. The new rules enacted January 1, 2020 have Arizona-specific Operator Training requirements.

If you need more information about the past and future free training, contact  Merry Ellen Boom at 602-771-4196 or at [email protected].

Hafa Adai and great news for our western-most UST Operators: We now offer online Class A/B training for Guam and CNMI (Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands). Check it out!

Due to travel restrictions because of COVID-19, UST Training’s Ben Thomas will not be able to travel to Guam and CNMI to provide live UST operator classes to the general public. Ben has taught hundreds of operators in live classes every other year since 2012. Because a refresher is required every two years, most Island operators must renew this July, 2020. We are pleased to offer “Virtual Ben” online as a safe and cost-effective alternative.

We are excited to be recommended by the US Virgin Island’s Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR) as the only approved training solution for Class A/B UST operator training. Plus our course is 100% online so USVI operators can take the course from home or work whenever they like.

DPNR Shares Important Reminder With Underground Storage Tank Operators

Note that if you are taking the course for the first time or have an expired certificate, our course is the only one currently approved by the USVI DPNR. Do not accept another vendor without first checking with DPNR.

UST Training did live classes in St. Thomas and St. Croix back in 2010 and are excited to be helping our Caribbean UST operator friends to stay in compliance with high quality training–now self-paced and online.

Download and share the flyer

Any questions about our course please contact us at (866) 301-8265 or [email protected]

The June 2020 edition of LUSTLine is now available to download and read.

For those who don’t know, LUSTLine has been published for over 35 years and covers important regulatory matters related to underground storage tanks (UST) and leaking underground storage tanks (LUST), hence the catchy name LUSTLine.

In this issue:

BIG NEWS

• Arizona Class A/B and C UST Operator Training is now FREE courtesy of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ).
• Classes are self-paced and 100% online. No more travel!
• Free for all operators of USTs regulated by the ADEQ who are employees of the UST owner’s company (excludes third party contractors).
• Fast, easy, and convenient. Computer, laptop and tablet-friendly.
• Brought to you by the national UST experts at USTTraining.com.

Get started today

What if I don’t know who needs to trained as an A/B or C operator?
Easy. Contact us to help you decide. Call 866-301-8265 or email [email protected]

What do I need to start?
Just a computer with Internet and speakers. Learn from home or work.

I’m super busy at work. Can I start and stop anytime I like?
Absolutely. Fit the training into your work schedule by pausing anytime.

How long does it take?
Class C training can be done in about 30 minutes. Class A/B takes a bit longer: about 3 hours.

Do I automatically get certified?
Yes, once you pass the final exam (80% or better) you can print your certificate of completion.

Are the course approved?
Our Class A/B course is approved by the ADEQ and our Class C course meets all the ADEQ requirements.

Can I train as many people as I like?
ADEQ wants everyone trained equally so ideally you should train at least one Class A/B and all Class C’s per individual UST location.

What if I get stuck or have questions?
We have tech support standing by during normal business hours to help get you unstuck.
Or call 866-301-8265 or email [email protected]

Personal note from UST Training’s President Ben Thomas:

Hello UST professional. It’s been a tough spring for us all. The COVID-19 pandemic has upended daily routines, put many people out of work, and created a sense of widespread uncertainty, both personally and professionally.

And if that wasn’t enough, the civil unrest across the country has been heartbreaking.

I want to make it clear that UST Training is a strong supporter of the diversity that makes up our UST community, whether you are a customer, colleague, partner, competitor or just someone stopping by our trade show booth or calling us about a tank question.

We at UST training are proud that we support, honor and promote racial and cultural diversity in the United States. And globally for that matter. Our customers come from every walk of life, every educational level, every cultural background and speak many more languages at home than just English. We’ve trained, personally or online, every imaginable American, from Guam to Alaska to Puerto Rico and pretty much everywhere in between. Whether a “new” American, an Indigenous American or an “old” American (I’m 8th generation), we treat you the same: with respect.

No matter your color, race or creed, UST Training welcomes you as a friend in our efforts to promote fueling handling safety and environmental protection.

Thanks for being part of our family.

Ben

We’re now offering free weekly chats via Zoom with UST Training founder Ben Thomas. Register Now

We want you to:

• Get comfy with video conferencing,
• Feel connected by chatting with your peers,
• Ask questions about UST management affected by COVID-19,
• Share your concerns and successes about balancing UST Compliance and the Coronavirus.

Sign up now for the virtual chat

Next Virtual Tank Savvy Talk with Ben

You can choose to attend one or more of the following sessions.

July 31, 2020 10:00 AM Register
August 7, 2020 10:00 AM Register
August 14, 2020 10:00 AM Register
August 21, 2020 10:00 AM Register

Drop in for this weekly 60-minute live video chat on Zoom with UST Training’s Ben Thomas and hear about what’s going on with USTs in light of the Coronavirus. It’s free! Watch and chat from any computer, laptop, tablet, or smart phone with a camera and mic. No experience necessary but registration is required
Register Now

Ben Thomas of UST Training is honored to be speaking at this year’s Tribal Lands Environmental Forum, which is being held virtually this year.

Mark Your Calendars for TLEF: A Virtual Gathering – August 17-20

While we will miss seeing all of you in-person this year, we are very excited to offer a special virtual variation of the TLEF which will take place August 17 through 20. What can you expect from the TLEF: A Virtual Gathering?

It always surprises us when we get questions like How much time to I have to complete the training? Or Do I have to watch the whole thing at once?

We’ve gotten so used to our super flexible system that maybe we assume all training vendors offer what we do: namely

• Begin whenever you want.
• Start and stop a lesson whenever you like.
• Take as much as you need.
• Your account and the courses are always accessible.
• Access to your course never expires.

UST Training has partnered with our good friends at JD2 Environmental, Inc., from West Chester, Pennsylvania, who are now authorized resellers of our online Class A/B and C UST operator training. They offer our online Class A/B and C courses nationwide. Check it out.

According to their web page: the principals of JD2 provide extensive training in storage tank and SPCC management, as well as various regulatory programs. JD2’s “practical” approach to meeting regulatory compliance requirements has received rave reviews from past participants in both the in-house and public courses conducted. Joyce A. Rizzo of JD2 has been conducting training for more than twenty-five years.

Our two companies have worked for many years to provide educational opportunities to UST operators across the country. As an example, JD2’s David Piercey and UST Training’s Ben Thomas currently serve on the PEI RP 900 Committee UST Inspection and Maintenance.

Learn more about JD2 here

Our popular Tank Savvy Minute videos are being republished in Hindi by our good friend Javed Surani at Your Environmental Specialist. Check it out our first one and please share with your Hindi-speaking friends and co-workers. More to follow.

Have a Tank Savvy Minute video you’d like to see in Hindi? Let us know.

It’s a big job keeping up with 53 different sets of State and Territory UST regulations but that’s what we do here all day long. And while over half the UST agencies allow for training vendors, a number do not; they allow only specific training that can range from free live classes, certification exams or an online tutorial about the UST rules.

We started with Oregon back in 2003 and just got approved in the US Virgin Islands and have only 9 states to go before we offer training in all states that permit third party trainers. Stay tuned for more states coming soon.

Any need a national solution for Class A/B and C? We have ideas. Contact us anytime at 866-301-8265 or [email protected].

Veeder Root, the largest manufacturer of automatic tank gauges (ATGs) in the US, has linked to our Tank Savvy Minute videos on their web page. How cool is that? See Ben Thomas doing his widely watched videos about the Veeder Root TLS 350.

In many states, Class A/B UST operators have a number of choices when shopping for training. So why go with us and not “the other guys”?

When we first started doing online training back in 2009, we made a very intentional commitment to train UST operators the best way possible by making our content relevant, applicable and meaningful. We tried to imagine a UST operator sitting at a computer for hours listening to narrated slides, wondering:

Did your UST training vendor pioneer the government UST compliance manual? If you trained with us, the answer is yes.

While cleaning the office last week, UST Training founder Ben Thomas came across a document he forgot he’d authored 20 years ago: The Alaska UST Operation and Maintenance Manual, dated March of 2000. Looking back, we’re pretty sure it was the first of its kind: a government authored three-ring binder that explained all the UST rules and provided a place to store all the required paperwork.

Being unable to travel this spring to various classes and trade shows, like many of you we’ve been busy getting caught up on a number of old projects. One of them is sprucing up our Class A/B slides to make them easier to read. It’s a big job with over 500 different slides to edit times 25+ state courses but we’re really happy with the outcome. We’ve updated the images, improved the readability of the wording and re-recorded some audio to create an even better user experience.

Our good friends at Tanknology, the world’s largest provider of tank testing and environmental compliance services for petroleum systems, now offers all our of online, state-specific Class A/B and C course on their web page. Check it out!. The Class C courses are approved or accepted in every state and territory (except CA) and the Class A/B courses are approved in 25 states and territories with more come coming soon.

Allen Porter, President and CEO of Tanknology, adds “As the nation’s most trusted provider of environmental compliance testing, Tanknology is excited to team with UST Training and to offer our clients a full array of online training options. We feel this partnership will benefit our clients, both large and small, and will add to the selection of services that Tanknology offers.”

Also look for Class C in Hindi, not to mention bulk discounts for all the classes. Start training now!

Learn more about Tanknology here

Exciting Caribbean news! The US Virgin Islands (USVI) Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR) has approved our online Class A/B UST Operator Training course. It’s now available online. Check it out!

USVI is a US Territory near Puerto Rico and has required UST training since 2012. Ben Thomas of UST Training provided live training classes at St. Thomas and St. Croix back in 2010 and we’re excited to be back helping these excellent island operators comply with UST regulations while taking our high quality, nationally recognized UST training platform.

Need more information? Contact us at (866) 301-8265 or [email protected]