Your SPCC Plan – Is it up-to-date?

image: fuel storage tanks in containment

SPCC requirements apply to fuel and oil storage tanks…

By November 10 of this year, all regulated facilities storing more than 1,320 gallons of oil or fuel in above ground tanks and containers must comply with recently amended federal requirements for development and implementation of written Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) Plans. If you have existing SPCC Plans for your facilities, you should review them to make sure that they meet the amended rule (40 CFR part 112). If a plan has not been prepared, it should be completed and in use by the November deadline. Note that these federal requirements may be in addition to State regulations governing above ground fuel storage tanks.

image: drum storage area

…as well as other oil containers of 55 gallons or larger capacity!

SPCC Plans must include or address:

  • facility diagrams showing all oil and fuel storage tanks and drum storage areas, with their descriptions and storage capacities
  • procedures to prevent spills or releases during loading, unloading and transfers of products
  • secondary containment and other spill prevention equipment and procedures
  • procedures to follow in response to discovery of a spill or release
  • measures for cleanup of spilled product and disposal of recovered materials
  • contact information for response coordinators and contractors, and for appropriate federal, state and local agencies
  • Professional Engineer review and certification of the plan

Some of these requirements can be waived under certain circumstances. For example, the P.E. certification may not be necessary if a facility stores less than 10,000 gallons of petroleum, has no single tank larger than 5,000 gallons and has not had a recent history of spills. Depending on their proximity, you may be able to designate storage locations as separate facilities to bring them below these limits or even below the 1,320-gallon regulatory threshold.

For more information or assistance, visit our SPCC web page or contact T. Cozzie Consulting.