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An oil production company operating in Big Horn County, Wyoming was recently fined for the discharge of approximately 162 barrels of oil into a tributary of a major river. The discharge came from a leak in a pipeline at its pumping facility. The facility is on an onshore oil gathering, pumping, and storage station that […]
There is much confusion surrounding the applicability of SPCC requirements. A question that recently came across the desk of one environmental expert involved oil in flavorings. The person asked if flavorings that contain small amounts of oil (for example, almond and hazelnut oil) count towards an inventory to determine SPCC applicability if they are stored […]
Facilities that are required to develop a Facility Response Plan (FRP) must include a facility response training program with drills and a testing program, and document the program in the FRP. Draft PREP Changes The requirement to develop and implement a program of response drills and exercises, including evaluation procedures, can be met by implementing […]
Penalty—$3,650; Cost to Come into Compliance—$30,000 An onshore oil production company in Illinois racked up a rather small penalty of $3,650 for SPCC violations. However, its cost to come into compliance was a substantial $30,000. Their violations can be divided into seven main categories: Problems with the Plan itself: The facility diagram was inadequate. The […]
Standard SPCC plans must describe security procedures for their operation (excluding oil production facilities). The security requirements are meant to prevent oil discharges that result from vandalism or other unauthorized access to oil containers or equipment. Security procedures must include provisions to: Secure and control access to each facility’s handling, processing, or storage areas. Secure […]
The following Table outlines the inspection requirements for tanks and associated piping at onshore nonproduction facilities that store petroleum and nonpetroleum oils—except animal fats and vegetable oils, which have their own set of inspection requirements. Note: The SPCC rule also contains integrity testing provisions for tanks, which are not included in this table. In addition, […]
A Look at Common Ski Area SPCC Violations Having an SPCC Plan that was not fully implemented. 40 CFR Section 112.3, states, “The owner or operator or an onshore or offshore facility subject to this section must prepare in writing and implement a Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure Plan … in accordance with 112.7 [General […]
Multiple Ski Areas Learn SPCC Compliance Lesson Over the past few years, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reached settlements with a number of ski areas in New England communities throughout Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. According to the EPA, the settlements “were reached under an expedited settlement program whereby EPA agreed to resolve […]
Tips for Assessing Applicability with the SPCC Rule Tip—Know the qualifying factors for coverage under the SPCC rule. The SPCC rule applies when the following are met at a facility*: The facility stores, transfers, uses, or consumes oil or oil products, such as diesel fuel, gasoline, lube oil, hydraulic oil, adjuvant oil, crop oil, […]
SPCC Inspection, Evaluation, and Testing—5 Specific Things Inspectors Are Looking For 1) Regular leak testing of tanks that are completely buried. Any completely buried tank that was installed on or after January 10, 1974, must be leak tested regularly “in accordance with industry standards or at a frequency sufficient to prevent leaks.” While there are […]