Certain facilities that store oil on premises are required by regulations established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to maintain Spill, Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) Plans. A proper SPCC plan will describe the prevention of, preparedness for, and response to discharges of oil to Waters of the United States for a given facility meeting the applicability criteria.
Does your facility need an SPCC plan?
The answer is likely yes, if the facility meets the following criteria:
- Facility (or part of the facility) is considered non-transportation related
- Facility could reasonably be expected to discharge oil in quantities that may be harmful into navigable waters or adjoining shorelines.
- Total aggregate above-ground oil storage capacity is greater than 1,320 gallons of oil. Only tanks 55 gallons and larger are counted towards the aggregate capacity.
- Total aggregate underground capacity of completely buried storage tanks is greater than 42,000 gallons of oil.
What are types of facilities that sometimes meet this criteria?
- Bulk Oil Storage and Transfer Operations
- Construction Sites
- Drum Storage Areas
- Emergency Generators
- Farms
- Fuel Transfer Facilities
- Fueling Racks
- Government Facilities
- Maintenance Facilities
- Manufacturing and Assembly Facilities
- Military Bases and Installations
- Oil Production Facilities
- Tank Farms
What is required of a facility that meets SPCC applicability criteria?
- Develop an SPCC plan.
- Provide adequate secondary containment for bulk oil storage, pipelines, loading racks and other areas.
- Implement prevention and response protocols as defined by the SPCC plan.
- Provide and document employee training.
- Update the SPCC plan whenever facility changes occur or every 5 years.
In most cases, an SPCC plan must be developed in conjunction with a Professional Engineer. Contact Prairie River Engineering & Inspection for a free consultation about how we might be able to serve your needs.