Oil spills pose a significant public health threat with a huge environmental impact. For that reason, the EPA requires any facility that stores essentially any volume of oil to create a Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) plan to not only prevent oil from reaching navigable waters of the U.S. but also offer countermeasures in the events that a spill does occur.
The general SPCC requirements apply to any non-transportation-related facility that has aboveground oil storage capacity greater than 1,320 gallons and/or underground capacity greater than 42,000 gallons that could reasonably be expected to discharge into navigable waters of the U.S. or onto adjoining shorelines. However, additional applicability guidelines and related exemptions are confusing and complicated, leaving many facility managers unsure of whether or not the regulation applies to them. For example, the type of oil often comes into question, as does where and how the oil is stored.
What’s more, specific requirements for the SPCC are based largely on the applicability threshold, making each plan highly individual. Because the program is subject to significant EPA oversight, cutting corners is not an option. Every detail must be completed and accurate. Failing to properly store oils or have a plan in place to minimize impact from discharge could leave a facility in significant trouble.
It’s complicated, but it’s necessary. UEG can help. When you leave those complex details to us, we will:
- Identify your facility’s applicability
- Develop the plan and implement it
- Update the plan as needed
- Create and deliver an individualized training program for staff
- Renew the plan every five years, as required under the act
- Inspect the facility on an ongoing basis as needed or offer guidance on how to perform inspections
If your SPCC plan needs to be certified by a professional engineer. We will do that for you, too.
