The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing two separate amendments to the Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) rule.
The first proposal would allow owners/operators of facilities that store less than 10,000 gallons of oil and meet other qualifying criteria to self-certify their SPCC plan in lieu of review and certification by a professional engineer. The amendment also proposes to remove certain SPCC requirements for animal fats and vegetable oils (AFVOs) from the rule specifically related to onshore and offshore oil production facilities because these sections do not apply to facilities that handle, store, or transport AFVOs. The proposed regulation does not contain language to differentiate AFVOs from petroleum and other oils.
“EPA has previously reviewed this issue and determined that many animal fats and vegetable oils can be harmful to the environment,” commented Thomas P. Dunne, acting assistant administrator of the EPA Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response Program, at a U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works hearing. “EPA does recognize that there are some requirements in the SPCC rules that are not appropriate for AFVO…and we are proposing to remove those requirements.” EPA is accepting comments on this proposed amendment until February 10, 2006.
The second amendment extends the SPCC compliance date for all facilities to October 31, 2007, from the original compliance date of February 17, 2006.
Information on EPA’s SPCC program can be found at www.epa.gov/oilspill.
February 2006 Render