Aboveground Storage Tanks

Who is Affected by the SPCC Rule?

In general, facilities that store oil based products aboveground in quantities exceeding 1,320 gallons or underground in quantities exceeding 42,000 gallons, and can reasonably be expected to discharge oil into waters of the United States in the event of a spill, must prepare and implement an SPCC Plan. Some important applicability criteria include the following:

• All containers 55 gallons in size and greater must be counted toward the 1,320 gallon threshold. In addition to storage tanks, these include hydraulic fluid reservoirs, oil-filled electric transformers, drums, and totes.

• All oil based products – including heating oil, waste oil, mineral oil, vegetable oil and solvents – must be considered.

Major SPCC Requirements

Federal SPCC regulations require that affected facilities prepare and implement an SPCC plan. The following are some of the major requirements:

• All storage containers, including portable containers, must have secondary containment.
• Discharge prevention must be provided for tank loading and unloading areas, oil handling and transfer areas.
• Integrity testing must be performed for all bulk storage containers. In some cases, visual inspection will suffice.
• Security measures must be in place to protect tanks and their controls from unauthorized access.
• A written SPCC Plan must be prepared and certified by a licensed professional engineer.
• The plan must be re-evaluated every 5 years or each time a change is made to the facility that affects the plan.
• Formal, annual SPCC Plan Training must be provided to all oil-handling personnel.

For assistance in preparing and/or updating an SPCC plan for your facility, please contact us and we will connect you to individuals that can help.

Assistance

ATS Environmental can assist you in preparing, updating and implementing your SPCC Plans. Contact ATS Environmental today to discuss your facility’s requirements.

Helpful resources:

• For more information on general permits and air regulations, visit here.
• EPA Aboveground Storage Tank (AST) regulations. Learn more here.
• The STI (Steel Tank Institute) provides additional information regarding SP001 along with frequently asked questions (FAQ). See here.
• The New Jersey Small Business Environmental Assistance Program developed a guidance document to help Fuel Dispensing Facilities comply with regulatory requirements for the transfer of fuel.

Important Notes:

The New Jersey Fuel Dispensing Facilities Compliance Calendar may only be available as a download here.

Click here for PDF of EPA SPCC Program Fact Sheet.

Click here for PDF of EPA Chapter 7 Inspection Evaluation and Testing.