Title 40

SECTION 112.3

112.3 Requirement to prepare and implement a Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure Plan.

§ 112.3 Requirement to prepare and implement a Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure Plan.

The owner or operator or an onshore or offshore facility subject to this section must prepare in writing and implement a Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure Plan (hereafter “SPCC Plan” or “Plan”),” in accordance with § 112.7 and any other applicable section of this part.

(a)(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, if your facility, or mobile or portable facility, was in operation on or before August 16, 2002, you must maintain your Plan, but must amend it, if necessary to ensure compliance with this part, and implement the amended Plan no later than November 10, 2011. If such a facility becomes operational after August 16, 2002, through November 10, 2011, and could reasonably be expected to have a discharge as described in § 112.1(b), you must prepare and implement a Plan on or before November 10, 2011. If such a facility (excluding oil production facilities) becomes operational after November 10, 2011, and could reasonably be expected to have a discharge as described in § 112.1(b), you must prepare and implement a Plan before you begin operations. You are not required to prepare a new Plan each time you move a mobile or portable facility to a new site; the Plan may be general. When you move the mobile or portable facility, you must locate and install it using the discharge prevention practices outlined in the Plan for the facility. The Plan is applicable only while the mobile or portable facility is in a fixed (non-transportation) operating mode.

(2) If your drilling, production or workover facility, including a mobile or portable facility, is offshore or has an offshore component; or your onshore facility is required to have and submit a Facility Response Plan pursuant to 40 CFR 112.20(a), and was in operation on or before August 16, 2002, you must maintain your Plan, but must amend it, if necessary to ensure compliance with this part, and implement the amended Plan no later than November 10, 2010. If such a facility becomes operational after August 16, 2002, through November 10, 2010, and could reasonably be expected to have a discharge as described in § 112.1(b), you must prepare and implement a Plan on or before November 10, 2010. If such a facility (excluding oil production facilities) becomes operational after November 10, 2010, and could reasonably be expected to have a discharge as described in § 112.1(b), you must prepare and implement a Plan before you begin operations. You are not required to prepare a new Plan each time you move a mobile or portable facility to a new site; the Plan may be general. When you move the mobile or portable facility, you must locate and install it using the discharge prevention practices outlined in the Plan for the facility. The Plan is applicable only while the mobile or portable facility is in a fixed (non-transportation) operating mode.

(3) If your farm, as defined in § 112.2, was in operation on or before August 16, 2002, you must maintain your Plan, but must amend it, if necessary to ensure compliance with this part, and implement the amended Plan on or before May 10, 2013. If your farm becomes operational after August 16, 2002, through May 10, 2013, and could reasonably be expected to have a discharge as described in § 112.1(b), you must prepare and implement a Plan on or before May 10, 2013. If your farm becomes operational after May 10, 2013, and could reasonably be expected to have a discharge as described in § 112.1(b), you must prepare and implement a Plan before you begin operations.

(b) If your oil production facility as described in paragraph (a)(1) of this section becomes operational after November 10, 2011, or as described in paragraph (a)(2) of this section becomes operational after November 10, 2010, and could reasonably be expected to have a discharge as described in § 112.1(b), you must prepare and implement a Plan within six months after you begin operations.

(d) Except as provided in § 112.6, a licensed Professional Engineer must review and certify a Plan for it to be effective to satisfy the requirements of this part.

(1) By means of this certification the Professional Engineer attests:

(i) That he is familiar with the requirements of this part ;

(ii) That he or his agent has visited and examined the facility;

(iii) That the Plan has been prepared in accordance with good engineering practice, including consideration of applicable industry standards, and with the requirements of this part;

(iv) That procedures for required inspections and testing have been established; and

(v) That the Plan is adequate for the facility.

(vi) That, if applicable, for a produced water container subject to § 112.9(c)(6), any procedure to minimize the amount of free-phase oil is designed to reduce the accumulation of free-phase oil and the procedures and frequency for required inspections, maintenance and testing have been established and are described in the Plan.

(2) Such certification shall in no way relieve the owner or operator of a facility of his duty to prepare and fully implement such Plan in accordance with the requirements of this part.

(e) If you are the owner or operator of a facility for which a Plan is required under this section, you must:

(1) Maintain a complete copy of the Plan at the facility if the facility is normally attended at least four hours per day, or at the nearest field office if the facility is not so attended, and

(2) Have the Plan available to the Regional Administrator for on-site review during normal working hours.

(f) Extension of time. (1) The Regional Administrator may authorize an extension of time for the preparation and full implementation of a Plan, or any amendment thereto, beyond the time permitted for the preparation, implementation, or amendment of a Plan under this part, when he finds that the owner or operator of a facility subject to this section, cannot fully comply with the requirements as a result of either nonavailability of qualified personnel, or delays in construction or equipment delivery beyond the control and without the fault of such owner or operator or his agents or employees.

(2) If you are an owner or operator seeking an extension of time under paragraph (f)(1) of this section, you may submit a written extension request to the Regional Administrator. Your request must include:

(i) A full explanation of the cause for any such delay and the specific aspects of the Plan affected by the delay;

(ii) A full discussion of actions being taken or contemplated to minimize or mitigate such delay; and

(iii) A proposed time schedule for the implementation of any corrective actions being taken or contemplated, including interim dates for completion of tests or studies, installation and operation of any necessary equipment, or other preventive measures. In addition you may present additional oral or written statements in support of your extension request.

(3) The submission of a written extension request under paragraph (f)(2) of this section does not relieve you of your obligation to comply with the requirements of this part. The Regional Administrator may request a copy of your Plan to evaluate the extension request. When the Regional Administrator authorizes an extension of time for particular equipment or other specific aspects of the Plan, such extension does not affect your obligation to comply with the requirements related to other equipment or other specific aspects of the Plan for which the Regional Administrator has not expressly authorized an extension.

(g) Qualified Facilities. The owner or operator of a qualified facility as defined in this subparagraph may self-certify his facility's Plan, as provided in § 112.6. A qualified facility is one that meets the following Tier I or Tier II qualified facility criteria:

(1) A Tier I qualified facility meets the qualification criteria in paragraph (g)(2) of this section and has no individual aboveground oil storage container with a capacity greater than 5,000 U.S. gallons.

(2) A Tier II qualified facility is one that has had no single discharge as described in § 112.1(b) exceeding 1,000 U.S. gallons or no two discharges as described in § 112.1(b) each exceeding 42 U.S. gallons within any twelve month period in the three years prior to the SPCC Plan self-certification date, or since becoming subject to this part if the facility has been in operation for less than three years (other than discharges as described in § 112.1(b) that are the result of natural disasters, acts of war, or terrorism), and has an aggregate aboveground oil storage capacity of 10,000 U.S. gallons or less.

[67 FR 47140, July 17, 2002, as amended at 68 FR 1351, Jan. 9, 2003; 68 FR 18894, Apr. 17, 2003; 69 FR 48798, Aug. 11, 2004; 71 FR 8466, Feb. 17, 2006; 71 FR 77290, Dec. 26, 2006; 72 FR 27447, May 16, 2007; 73 FR 74301, Dec. 5, 2008, 74 FR 29141, June 19, 2009; 74 FR 58809, Nov. 13, 2009; 75 FR 63102, Oct. 14, 2010; 76 FR 21660, Apr. 18, 2011; 76 FR 64248, Oct. 18, 2011; 76 FR 72124, Nov. 22, 2011]