What is an SPCC Plan?
An
SPCC Plan is a facility-specific comprehensive description of
a facility's containment and countermeasures that would
prevent an oil spill from occurring as well as procedures to
respond to and clean up an oil spill that does occur. The SPCC
Plan addresses the following three areas:
-
Operating
procedures that prevent oil spills;
-
Control
measures installed to prevent a spill from reaching the
environment; and
-
Countermeasures
to contain, clean up, and mitigate the effects of an oil
spill that reaches the environment.
Who
has to have an SPCC Plan?
The
Clean Water Act requires "facilities that store,
transport, or handle oil and could reasonably be expected to
discharge oil in harmful quantities to navigable waters"
to prepare spill prevention, control, and contingency (SPCC)
plans. Penalties for not complying with these laws can be as
high as $25,000 per day per violation.
What
are navigable waters?
Navigable
waters are broadly defined under the Clean Water Act and Oil
Pollution Act to include all waters that are used in
interstate or foreign commerce, all interstate waters
including wetlands, and all intrastate waters, such as lakes,
rivers, streams, wetlands, sloughs, prairie potholes, wet
meadows, playa lakes, or natural ponds. Essentially, the
term navigable waters refers to any natural surface water in
the U.S.
What
information is necessary to complete an SPCC Plan?
Information
needed will include: where and how oil is used and stored,
preventative maintenance procedures, inspection procedures,
and emergency response procedures such as who would be
contacted if a spill were to occur and how it would be
managed.
Who
is required to be SPCC trained?
EPA
requires SPCC compliance training for personnel who have a
role in the management of oil including delivery, maintenance,
storage, disposal, or spill response. Personnel should be
trained immediately upon hire or transfer to a position
involved with oil management. It is recommended that personnel
receive annual SPCC re-training.
How
often must the SPCC Plan be reviewed and, if necessary, amended?
The
SPCC Plan must be reviewed at least once every three years and
the review must be documented. The SPCC Plan must be amended
whenever there is a change in the facility design,
construction, operation, or maintenance that affects the
facility's potential to discharge oil into nearby waterways.
In addition, the EPA may require amendments to the SPCC Plan
if a facility discharges in excess of 1,000 gallons, or
following two releases to waterways within any twelve-month
period. Amendments must be certified by a registered
professional engineer.
What
are the consequences for non-compliance with SPCC regulations?
Penalties
for not complying with these laws can be as high as $25,000
per day per violation. Specific violations include:
1)
identification of all oil storage and use locations and
quantity of oil stored
2) written descriptions of any past spills including
corrective action taken and plans for preventing a recurrence
3) a description of containment, diversionary
structures, or equipment to prevent a spill of oil from
reaching waterways
4) a complete discussion of the spill prevention and
control measures applicable to the facility and its operations
5) operating procedures established to prevent spills
from occurring
6) lack of adequate control measures to prevent a spill
from reaching waterways
7) lack of adequately implemented procedures and
countermeasures to contain, clean-up, and mitigate the effects
of an oil spill that reaches waterways
As
Part of our SafeSite™ Fuel Storage Inspection and
Maintenance Program we can write an SPCC plan for your facility.
Our program includes and inspection of your tanks(s) and
equipment, testing for microorganisms and an evaluation of
system compliance with regulations being actively enforced in
your state. Let us help protect the valuable investment in
your fuel storage system.
Learn
more about our SafeSite fuel storage and maintenance program
DON'T DELAY - COMPLIANCE
IS NOT AN OPTION
CALL (800)
628.5502 OR EMAIL US TODAY
FOR A FREE ASSESSMENT!
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