Storage Tanks
Aboveground or Underground Oil Storage Containers
The EPA’s Oil Program provides information for preventing, preparing for, and responding to oil spills that occur in and around inland waters of the United States. If a hospital uses or stores oil it may be subject to the Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) rule. Hospitals with an above ground oil storage capacity of greater than 1,320 gallons, or total completely buried oil storage capacity greater than 42,000 gallons must prepare and implement a SPCC plan to prevent any discharge of oil into or upon navigable waters of the United States or adjoining shorelines.
The SPCC rule was originally promulgated on December 11, 1973 and was revised on July 17, 2002. EPA subsequently extended the regulatory compliance schedule included in the new SPCC rule.
The current compliance dates for the new rule are:
| Facilities operating: |
Must: |
| Before 8/16/02 |
Maintain the facility’s existing SPCC Plan. Amend and implement the SPCC Plan no later than 10/31/07. |
| Between 8/16/02 & 10/31/07 |
Prepare and implement SPCC Plan no later than 10/31/07. |
| After 10/31/07 |
Prepare and implement SPCC Plan before starting operations. |
At all times, facilities are required to maintain their existing SPCC Plan and amend it in accordance with 40 CFR §112.5.
For information on compliance requirements under the Clean Water Act, see the Clean Water Act page.
More information will be available soon.
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