Plain-language overviews of key Recommended Practices
Independent educational summaries of four PEI Recommended Practices relevant to underground storage tank compliance. Each overview covers scope, purpose, and regulatory context — it does not reproduce any standard's procedures or criteria.
PEI Recommended Practices are voluntary, consensus-developed guidance documents published by the Petroleum Equipment Institute (PEI) that describe accepted methods for installing, inspecting, testing, and maintaining fueling and underground storage tank (UST) equipment. They are not government regulations on their own. Instead, they are technical references that many fuel facilities, contractors, and regulators rely on to carry out the obligations set by federal UST rules under 40 CFR Part 280 and by the state agencies that implement those rules. Some states and authorities incorporate specific Recommended Practices by reference, which can make portions of them effectively mandatory in those jurisdictions.
Use this hub to orient yourself before consulting the full standards or your state requirements. Each card below links to a plain-language overview of one Recommended Practice — what it covers, why it exists, and where it fits within the broader compliance picture for vapor recovery, dispenser hanging-hardware continuity, routine inspection and maintenance, and release-detection testing. These overviews are educational summaries only; they do not reproduce the procedures, pass/fail criteria, or step-by-step methods contained in the copyrighted documents. Always confirm the current edition of any Recommended Practice and verify the exact requirements that apply to your site with the appropriate state UST program or implementing agency.
A plain-language orientation to vapor-recovery systems at vehicle-fueling sites
An independent overview of how vapor-recovery systems capture gasoline vapors at vehicle-fueling sites, why they exist, and how the topic fits within air-quality rules and industry guidance.
A plain-language orientation to electrical-continuity testing of fuel-dispensing hanging hardware
An independent overview of why the hoses, breakaways, swivels, and nozzles on a fuel dispenser are checked for electrical continuity, and how the topic fits within fire-safety standards and industry guidance.
A plain-language orientation to routine inspection and maintenance of UST systems
An independent overview of why routine inspection and maintenance keep UST systems compliant and reliable, the equipment commonly checked, and how the topic fits within federal and state rules.
A plain-language orientation to the testing and verification of UST release-detection and containment equipment
An independent overview of why UST release-detection and containment equipment is periodically tested to confirm it still works, the equipment categories involved, and how testing fits within federal and state rules.
PEI Recommended Practices are copyrighted documents available for purchase from the Petroleum Equipment Institute at pei.org .