Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure (SPCC)

What is SPCC?

The Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) Regulation, enforced by the EPA is a method for preventing oil pollution into U.S. water bodies. Originally published in 1973 under the authority of the Clean Water Act, the Oil Pollution Prevention Regulation (40 CFR 112) requires entities to develop and implement SPCC plans that outline efforts to prevent, respond, and remediate oil spills into or near navigable waters.

MC campuses and facilities meet the following criteria are subject to the SPCC rule and required to prepare and implement an SPCC plan:

Have an aggregate aboveground capacity of oil storage greater than 1.320 gallons in containers 55-gallons or more in size; or
Have an underground capacity oil storage greater than 42,000 gallons; and
There is reasonable expectation of a discharge into a navigable waterway or adjoining shoreline.

The Public Health & Environmental Safety office maintains an inventory of all aboveground storage tanks (ASTs) and other drum storage at MC. A review and evaluation of the Spill Plan is required at least once every five years. The goal of the SPCC regulations is to prevent the discharge of oil into navigable waterways by implementing the release prevention measures and to formulate action plans for oil spill response in compliance with 40 CFR 112.5.

What must a SPCC plan have?

An SPCC plan must contain the following elements:

Description of the facility's physical layout and diagram that indicates the locations of oil storage and handling;
General facility description of oil storage and handling areas;
Discharge prevention measures for handling product;
Description of spills in the previous 12 months;
Analysis of potential spill scenarios;
Description of spill notification procedures and coordination with local authorities and spill response contractors;
Spill prevention plan with inspection and monitoring program, engineering controls, preventive maintenance and housekeeping procedures, formal spill response training, and security measures;
Documented review and update of procedures every 5 years;
Certification that an assessment has been completed and management approval.

How is oil defined in this plan?

The SPCC program addresses all oil products at MC, including diesel fuel, used oil, vegetable oil, lubricants and solvents.

What does the plan cover?

Areas where there is a potential for an oil release
identified receptors (areas to protect such as floor drains, storm drains, etc.)
Spill controls in place
Countermeasures to be used to react to releases