Ultra-TrackPans® Regulations
Spill Containment Systems
Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure Act Opportunity Summary
Effective Date: August 16, 2002
Intent
Driven by the EPA's Federal Water Pollution Control Act, this ruling is designed to prevent oil discharges.
Background of the SPCC Act
The Act was originally drafted in 1973. It was revised and strengthened in August of 2002. One significant change was to state that "users" of oil must comply. The regulation now reads that " facilities that drill, produce, gather, store, use, process, refine, transfer, distribute or consume oil and oil products" must comply. Gasoline and diesel are considered "oil products" and are regulated by SPCC.
Who must comply?
Facilities with total, above-ground, oil storage capacity (not actual gallons on site) of greater than 1,320 gallons. Storage capacity includes fixed tanks as well as fuel tanks on operating equipment. Storage containers that are 55-gallons and greater are used to calculate total capacity. Facilities with below-ground storage capacity of greater than 42,000 gallons must also comply.
What are the basics of an SPCC Plan?
The SPCC Plan must address all relevant spill prevention, control and countermeasures necessary to minimize the potential for oil discharge. One requirement is to provide appropriate containment and/or diversionary structures, i.e. dikes, berms or retaining walls, to prevent a discharge. A means of secondary containment sufficient to contain the capacity of the largest single compartment or container with sufficient freeboard to contain precipitation is mandated. Products that seal drains or divert spills from drains, as well as sorbents, are considered "control" or "countermeasures".
How do I comply?
The document is found in the Federal Register; Federal Tank Truck Regs, July 17, 2002. You can find it at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPAFR-CONTENTS/2002/July/Day-17/contents.htm.
(Scroll down to the paragraph entitled "Water Programs: Oil pollution prevention and response; non-transportation-related onshore and offshore facilities".)
(c) Secondary containment for transfers. (1) Transfer of hazardous substances must take place within a transfer station which is equipped with a permanently installed secondary containment system.
(2) This containment system must:
(i) be capable of collecting leaks and spills which are likely to occur during the transfer including leaks or spills from connections, couplings, vents, pumps and valves, hose failure or overturning of a container. Open-ended fill lines must be located with the secondary containment system;
(ii) be designed and constructed with a permeability rate to the substance(s) transferred of less than 1 x 10-6 cm/sec. Properly designed concrete which has water stops on all seams and is compatible with the substance(s) stored or other equivalent or superior material satisfies this requirement;
(iii) be designed, installed, and operated to prevent any migration of hazardous substances, components of hazardous substances or degraded products, out of the system to the soil, groundwater, or surface waters before cleanup occurs. The system does not have to be designed to contain the gaseous component of a spill;
(iv) be constructed, coated, or lined with materials that are compatible with the substances to be transferred and the environment. The system must have sufficient strength and thickness to withstand wear, hydrostatic forces, frost heaving and weathering. It must support without failure, any vehicle brought into the transfer station, and must have a foundation which prevents failure due to settlement, compression, or uplift;
(v) be equipped with a sump and either a manually controlled pump or siphon, manually controlled dike valve, or any other manually controlled drainage system to permit the drainage of liquids resulting from leaks, spills, and precipitation. Control of the pump, siphon or valve must be possible from outside of the diked area. All drainage systems must be locked in a closed position when a transfer of a hazardous substance is in progress. Spilled or leaked substances must be removed from the containment system within twenty-four (24) hours; and
(vi) contain the volume of any leak or spill likely to occur at the transfer station.
(3) Stormwater must be pumped from slop tanks and catch tanks to allow for the containment of the volume required by subdivision 599.17(c)(2)(vi) above.
BASIC REQUIREMENTS OF A STORMWATER POLLUTION PREVENTION PLAN
| A Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) is
basically an erosion, sediment and waste chemical control
plan. It is up to the permit holder to decide what
types of Best Management Practices (BMPs) to use at a
given site, but the company/municipality/contractor must
comply with the permit requirement. SWPPPs will typically include: |
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| What are the Permit Requirements? Permit holders are required to develop, implement and enforce a stormwater management program to: |
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| What are Baseline BMPs? |
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| What are Advanced BMPs? |
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