Accidental Release Prevention Requirements: Risk Management Program Requirements Under Clean Air Act Section 112(r)(7); Amendments to the Submission Schedule and Data Requirements

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is making several changes to the reporting requirements of its chemical accident prevention regulations under section 112(r) of the Clean Air Act. Today's final rule requires that, beginning June 21, 2004, chemical facilities subject to the accident prevention regulations submit information on any significant chemical accidents and any changes to emergency contact information on a more timely basis than previously required. The rule also immediately removes the regulatory requirement for covered facilities to include in the executive summaries of their risk management plans (RMPs) a brief description of the off-site consequence analysis (OCA) for their facilities. In addition, the final rule also requires that, beginning June 21, 2004, covered facilities include three new pieces of information in their RMPs: the e-mail address for the facility emergency contact, the name, address and telephone number of the contractor who prepared the RMP, and the purpose of any RMP submission that changes or otherwise affects an earlier RMP submission. The rule also clarifies that the deadline for updating RMPs that were submitted before or on June 21, 1999, is June 21, 2004, except for those facilities required to update their RMPs as a result of changes at the facility. Finally, EPA is making several related and other revisions to the format for submitting RMPs (RMP*Submit), including expanding the list of options for possible accident causes to include uncontrolled chemical reactions. The modifications promulgated today seek to improve the accident prevention and reporting programs of covered facilities, and to assist federal, state, and local RMP implementation in light of new homeland security concerns.