oil tank removal and soil test

[Mark Kurian]

I'm currently buying a home and they found an oil tank. Seller doesn't have the money to pay for removal so I offered to remove the tank before closing, with a clause that if there is contamination, I will be backing out. Now they are saying they don't want me to remove It because if there is contamination, they will be forced to remediate. At this point, I'm thinking of doing just a soil test, but I'm scared that if it shows there's no contamination, but when I actually remove it there is contamination, there's nothing I would be able to do. What's my best option? I think the house is a good deal and I don't want to just walk away from it.