SPCC Plan

Americans are dependent on oil to heat our homes, fuel our cars and operate other types of equipment. Other chemicals are used in industry facilities to produce a whole host of products we use.

These chemicals can be difficult to handle, transport and store and sometimes they can be spilled onto our land and into our waterways. Chemical spills can create quite a dangerous environment for public health and have a severe impact on the environment and especially our drinking water.

Facilities or operations which handle the retrieval, processing, or transport of oil, dealing with spill clean-up and the costs and fines associated with it can be a nightmare. It’s much easier and cheaper to take the preventative measures to help avoid spills from happening.

To prevent more spills from happening, the EPA developed the Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) rule. This rule is part of the Clean Water Act and is something that every industrial business owner should be familiar with.

Understanding What is Covered
To be covered by the SPCC rule, a facility has to have an aggregate above-ground oil storage capacity greater than 1,320 U.S. gallons or a completely buried storage capacity greater than 42,000 U.S. gallons. There must also be a reasonable expectation of an oil discharge into the navigable waters of the U.S. or adjoining shorelines.

Various types of chemicals and oils are covered under the rule, including, but not limited to: petroleum; fuel oil; sludge; oil refuse; oil mixed with wastes other than dredged spoil; fats, oils or greases from animals or marine mammals, vegetable oils, including oil from seeds, nuts, or kernels; and synthetic oils and mineral oils.

Facilities which store, process, refine, uses or consumes oil or chemicals and is non-transportation-related is potentially subject to the SPCC rule, and should have an SPCC plan. Operations that are intended to move chemicals from one location to another, i.e. transportation-related, are not included.

Here are some examples of covered facilities and operations:

• Onshore/Offshore Oil Drilling Facilities
• Power Generators
• Oil refining or storage facilities
• Industrial, commercial, agricultural, or public facilities using or storing oil
• Certain waste treatment facilities
• Loading racks, transfer hoses, loading arms, and other equipment
• Vehicles (e.g. tank trucks) and railroad cars used to transport oil exclusively
• Pipeline systems used to transport oil exclusively within the confines of a facility

Every SPCC plan must be prepared in accordance with good engineering practices and must be certified by a Professional Engineer. Ultimately, the owner or operator is responsible for complying with this rule.

Contact us to learn more about including IEC as a responder in your SPCC plan. We offer spill response agreements at no charge and we can also help maintain compliance.

We provide 24-hour emergency response as well.