PA Heating Oil Tank Cleanup Reimbursement (DEP Program)

Who is eligible

All of these must be true²:

You are or were the tank owner.
The tank was underground (buried).
It held 3,000 gallons or less.
It stored fuel used for heating on the premises.
Heating oil was released from the tank, its lines, or a spill or overfill caused by a tank-system failure.
The release happened, or was discovered, on or after January 30, 1998.
Environmental cleanup is complete or in progress.

Not eligible

Aboveground tanks, including tanks on or above a basement or cellar floor².
Removing a tank that didn't leak².
Installing a new tank, repairing or replacing the heating system, or replacing fuel².
Costs covered by private insurance or another assistance program².

Report a release

DEP recommends reporting all heating oil spills to the local DEP office; for an environmental emergency, DEP's line is 1-800-541-2050².

What can be covered

DEP's list includes²:

removing a leaking tank, but only if cleanup work is also done
excavating contaminated soil
transporting and disposing of waste
finding the extent of contamination
groundwater work, including well-water treatment
backfill and restoration
closure and cleanup reports
related permit and inspection fees
sampling and analysis

Money and limits

$1,000 deductible, then up to $4,000 reimbursed, per tank¹^,2.
Up to $750,000 a year is available through December 31, 2027. DEP processes complete applications first come, first served each fiscal year (July 1–June 30) and doesn't guarantee funds².
Reimbursements are reported to the IRS and may be taxable².

How to apply

Apply online through the Pennsylvania Electronic Single Application system. Upload the contractors' original itemized invoices for completed work (estimates are not accepted) and proof of payment, such as both sides of a canceled check or a paid invoice². DEP's Storage Tank Cleanup Program can answer questions; contact details are on the DEP page².

Not the same as USTIF coverage

The Underground Storage Tank Indemnification Fund's separate voluntary heating oil program covers opted-in underground heating oil tanks of 3,000 gallons or more, with a $5,000 per-tank deductible and a $1.5 million limit; coverage starts only once the tank has been opted in³. Typical home tanks fall under the DEP reimbursement program above instead.

Lehigh Valley towns with the most oil-heated homes

Municipalities we cover where at least 30% of occupied homes are heated mainly by fuel oil or kerosene, estimated by the Census⁴:

Town	Fuel-oil share	Homes (± margin of error)
Upper Mount Bethel Township	55.9%	1,475 ± 243
Lower Mount Bethel Township	53.5%	634 ± 117
Washington Township (Northampton)	53.2%	1,030 ± 207
Lehigh Township	47.0%	2,021 ± 304
Lower Milford Township	42.4%	616 ± 132
Plainfield Township	41.6%	1,045 ± 282
Coopersburg	40.3%	442 ± 96
Wind Gap	39.9%	603 ± 142
Bushkill Township	39.5%	1,255 ± 210
Pen Argyl	39.2%	545 ± 184
Washington Township (Lehigh)	37.5%	1,020 ± 207
North Whitehall Township	33.6%	2,017 ± 298
Lynn Township	32.3%	551 ± 135
Moore Township	32.2%	1,113 ± 208
Bangor	31.7%	630 ± 197
Williams Township	31.2%	818 ± 215
Nazareth	30.3%	908 ± 208

For comparison: Allentown 14.1%, Easton 8.6%⁴. These are 5-year survey estimates; small towns have wide margins of error.

FAQ

Does PA DEP require me to remove my home heating oil tank?

No. Tanks storing heating oil burned on the premises are excluded from the state program, and DEP says home heating oil tanks are not regulated⁵^,6. Owners usually act because of a sale, a lender, an insurer, or leak risk.

Get a free quote

Tell us where the tank is (basement, side yard, buried, or unknown) and whether you're buying, selling, or refinancing. Allentown Tanks will connect you with a qualified local tank contractor. (215) 434-1322 · Request a quote

Sources

Sources accessed 2026-10-25 by TANKER Traffic.

Pennsylvania's Heating Oil Tank Cleanup Reimbursement Program