Oil Pollution Prevention; Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) Rule-Amendments

On December 5, 2008, EPA amended the Spill Prevention Control, and Countermeasures (SPCC) rule to provide increased clarity with respect to specific regulatory requirements, to tailor requirements to particular industry sectors, and to streamline certain rule requirements. The Agency subsequently delayed the effective date of these amendments to January 14, 2010, to allow the Agency time to review the amendments to ensure that they properly reflect consideration of all relevant facts. EPA also requested public comment on the delay of the effective date and its duration, and on the December 2008 amendments. Having reviewed the record for the amendments and the additional comments, EPA has decided to make only limited changes to the amendments. With respect to the majority of the December amendments, EPA is either taking no action or providing minor technical corrections. EPA is, however, removing the following provisions in the December 2008 amendments: the exclusion of farms and oil production facilities from the loading/unloading rack requirements; the exemption for produced water containers at an oil production facility; and the alternative qualified facility eligibility criteria for an oil production facility.