When must I report an oil discharge to NRC?
Any person in charge of a vessel or an onshore or offshore facility must notify the National Response Center (NRC) immediately after he or she has knowledge of the discharge.
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Any person in charge of a vessel or an onshore or offshore facility must notify the National Response Center (NRC) immediately after he or she has knowledge of the discharge.
A facility should report discharges to the National Response Center (NRC) at 1-800-424-8802 or 1-202-267-2675. The NRC is the federal government's centralized reporting center, which is staffed 24 hours per day by U.S. Coast Guard personnel. If reporting directly to NRC is not practicable, reports also can be made to…
The revised rule recognizes that oil is sometimes stored in bulk and sometimes used operationally. A bulk storage container is any container storing oil at a facility. Bulk oil storage containers may include, but are not limited to tanks, containers, drums, and mobile or portable totes. Operational use includes oil-filled…
The SPCC Rule applies to facilities that could reasonably be expected to discharge into navigable waters (40 CFR §112.2(a)). Does a facility need to consider ground water pathways when determining if a discharge of oil could reasonably be expected to reach navigable waters? Owners and operators should consider whether on-site…
Pursuant to 40 CFR §112.6, the owner or operator of a facility that meets the criteria in §112.3(g) for either a Tier I or Tier II qualified facility may self-certify the facility's SPCC Plan. As part of the self-certification, the owner or operator must certify that he or she has…
While the goal of the National Emissions Inventory (NEI) program is to include all emissions data, there are always challenges meeting this goal. The answer about completeness of coverage of sources depends on the emissions sector and pollutant. In general, the criteria air pollutants and precursors (CAPs) are expected to…
For criteria air pollutants and precursors as well as for hazardous air pollutants, the methods are described in the technical support document (TSD) for the latest National Emissions Inventory (NEI) available from the main NEI page. For greenhouse gas emissions, you can find greenhouse gas inventory methods from the latest…
Gas stations typically are not subject to the SPCC Rule because completely buried storage tanks subject to 40 CFR Part 280 or 281 are exempt per §112.1(d)(4). However, a gas station would be subject to the SPCC Rule if it has more than 1,320 gallons of oil in aggregate above…
You can determine this by considering the geography and location of your farm relative to nearby navigable waters (such as streams, creeks and other waterways). You should consider if ditches, gullies, storm sewers or other drainage systems may transport an oil spill to nearby streams. Estimate the volume of oil…
SPCC applicability thresholds for aboveground and completely buried oil storage capacities are established in 40 CFR §112.1(d)(2). If a facility has a tank that contains a mixture with oil as an additive, such as oil-based paint, should the entire mixture be counted towards a facility’s threshold capacity? Yes; if a…
The SPCC rule requires inspections, tests, and evaluations of above ground containers (40 CFR §112.8(c)(6)). Does the rule set schedules for how often these need to be conducted? The SPCC Rule does not prescribe a specific frequency or methodology for performing the required inspections, evaluations, and tests for aboveground containers…
No. The amendment does not change any requirements for oil-filled manufacturing equipment. Oil-filled manufacturing equipment remains subject to the SPCC requirements (including those for containment), but an owner/operator may determine that secondary containment is impracticable and comply with the alternative measures in section 112.7(d).
Part 112, Appendix G to prepare an SPCC Plan. Is the Tier I qualified facility SPCC Plan template available in an electronic version? EPA has made available electronic versions of the Tier I qualified facility Plan template to help the owner or operator of a Tier I qualified facility develop…
What are the types of containers or equipment containing oil reservoirs that would be considered field-constructed containers and thus subject to the brittle fracture evaluation of 40 CFR §112.7(i)? As found in the Preamble language provided on page 47112 of the July 17, 2002 SPCC final rule, EPA provides a…
Yes, you should include fuel tanks mounted on trailers, fuel trucks used exclusively on the farm and tanks in pickups toward the overall threshold of 1,320 gallons. Also, count 55-gallon drums, but don’t count any container smaller than that.