Roaring Brook News

What is it?

A Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) plan is part of a spill prevention program that minimizes the potential for oil discharges to water bodies. The plan addresses the specific measures to be taken at a facility to 1) prevent spills, 2) control them if they occur, and 3) specify the countermeasures to be taken to minimize the impact of a spill on a water body.

Who needs one?

Any facility with aboveground storage tanks that stores in aggregate more than 1,320 gallons of oil needs an SPCC. A facility is a single tank or group of tanks under the control of one entity. A typical facility would be an oil storage tank farm with multiple large storage tanks. A small facility complex with 5 buildings, each housing a 275-gallon heating oil tank, would in aggregate also exceed the 1,320 gallon threshold. Containers that hold less than 55 gallons do not need to be included in the total, however. So, for example,

250 cases of twenty-four one-quart cans of motor oil, totaling 1,500 gallons, would not necessitate a SPCC. The rules apply to any type of oil, not just motor oil, heating oil, and kerosene. They also apply to materials such as olive oil, vegetable oil, and corn oil.

Why is it a concern now?

Title 40, Part 112, which governs oil pollution prevention, has been changed and is still undergoing some changes. The current deadline for a facility to re-write, or in some cases, to write, its SPCC plan is August 17, 2004. The current deadline for implementation is February 18, 2005. Considering what must go into a plan, that is a very ambitious time frame. The EPA is considering extending the deadlines, but nothing has been officially announced. The New England Fuel Institute (NEFI) recommends that you proceed to retain the services of a professional engineer. Fine-tuning of the regulations may affect some details, but a major portion of the work involved will not change. Preparation of your site should proceed but should not be finalized until the regulation changes have been finalized and announced.

Engineering A Better Future