Updating oil pollution prevention plans

Section 311 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 USC 1321) established United States policy that there shall be no discharges of oil or hazardous substances in harmful quantities into or upon navigables waters of the US or adjoining shorelines. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was delegated responsibility for promulgating and enforcing the Oil Pollution Prevention Regulations for Non-Transportation Related Onshore and Offshore Facilities. These regulations provided a framework for the protection of navigable waters from oil discharges by requiring facility owners and operators to prepare and implement Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) Plans. The EPA adopted a two-phased approach to implement revised these regulations for compliance with the new law. The EPA published proposed Phase 1 modifications to the SPCC regulations in the Federal Register on October 22, 1991. The EPA published more substantial modifications to the SPCC regulations in the Phase 2 revisions, which were issued as proposed rules in the Federal Register on February 17, 1993 and final rule on June 15, 1994. These modifications included requirements for facility-specific contingency planning and above ground storage tank integrity testing. The Phase 2 regulations also addressed requirements for ``complex`` facilities that are under multi-agency jurisdiction; that is,more » facilities that have a fuel pier component and a tank farm component.« less