EPA ISSUES SPCC FINAL RULE, EXTENDS COMPLIANCE DATE FOR FARMS

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced Dec. 14 it is amending certain requirements for facilities subject to its Oil Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) regulations. These regulations require facilities to prevent, prepare for and respond to any oil discharges. The final rule will provide certain options and exemptions and it extends the compliance date for farms to either prepare and implement new SPCC plans or amend and implement existing plans until EPA publishes a future rule addressing how farms should be regulated under the SPCC.

EPA extended the compliance dates for preparing or amending, and implementing SPCC Plans for farms until the Agency promulgates a rule specifically addressing how farms should be regulated under the SPCC rule. The newly revised SPCC rule modifies requirements for farms with smaller oil storage capacity and specific types of oil-filled operating equipment.