The Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasures (SPCC) Plan is required under the Clean Water Act for "facilities that store, transport or handle oil and could reasonably be expected to discharge oil in harmful quantities to navigable waters." Specifically, an SPCC Plan is required if the facility stores more than 42,000 gallons of oil in underground tanks, or 1,320 gallons of oil in aboveground tanks, or 660 gallons of oil in a single container. For purposes of this regulation, "oil" means oil of any kind or in any form, including, but not limited to petroleum, fuel oil, sludge, oil refuse and oil mixed with waste other than dredged spoil. SPCC Plans must be updated every three years or within one year of a change in design, construction, operation or maintenance, and are kept on file at the facility. An SPCC Plan has the following six required elements described in 40 CFR 112.7:
1. A written description of any spills and corrective actions within the previous 12 months, and plans for prevention of future spills;
2. predictions of direction, flow rate, and quantity of discharge for each major type of failure where reasonable potential for equipment failure exists (e.g., overflow, rupture, leakage);
3. details of appropriate containment or diversionary structures used to prevent oil from reaching navigable waters;
4. if installation of containment or diversionary structures is not practicable, a strong contingency plan and a written commitment to the expeditious control of oil discharges is required;
5. documentation that the facility design, construction, operation, and maintenance conforms with the requirements of 40 CFR 112.7 (e); and
6. certification by a professional engineer (PE) and appropriate management approvals.
7. An SPCC Plan generally does not include detailed emergency response plans for dealing with releases after they occur.
The actual text of the federal SPCC regulations and other environmental regulations is accessible online through the home page of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
