Title 40

SECTION 112.6

112.6 Qualified Facilities Plan Requirements.

§ 112.6 Qualified Facilities Plan Requirements.

Qualified facilities meeting the Tier I applicability criteria in § 112.3(g)(1) are subject to the requirements in paragraph (a) of this section. Qualified facilities meeting the Tier II applicability criteria in § 112.3(g)(2) are subject to the requirements in paragraph (b) of this section.

(a) Tier I Qualified Facilities - (1) Preparation and Self-Certification of the Plan. If you are an owner or operator of a facility that meets the Tier I qualified facility criteria in § 112.3(g)(1), you must either: comply with the requirements of paragraph (a)(3) of this section; or prepare and implement a Plan meeting requirements of paragraph (b) of this section; or prepare and implement a Plan meeting the general Plan requirements in § 112.7 and applicable requirements in subparts B and C, including having the Plan certified by a Professional Engineer as required under § 112.3(d). If you do not follow the appendix G template, you must prepare an equivalent Plan that meets all of the applicable requirements listed in this part, and you must supplement it with a section cross-referencing the location of requirements listed in this part and the equivalent requirements in the other prevention plan. To complete the template in appendix G, you must certify that:

(i) You are familiar with the applicable requirements of 40 CFR part 112;

(ii) You have visited and examined the facility;

(iii) You prepared the Plan in accordance with accepted and sound industry practices and standards;

(iv) You have established procedures for required inspections and testing in accordance with industry inspection and testing standards or recommended practices;

(v) You will fully implement the Plan;

(vi) The facility meets the qualification criteria in § 112.3(g)(1);

(vii) The Plan does not deviate from any requirement of this part as allowed by § 112.7(a)(2) and 112.7(d) or include measures pursuant to § 112.9(c)(6) for produced water containers and any associated piping; and

(viii) The Plan and individual(s) responsible for implementing this Plan have the approval of management, and the facility owner or operator has committed the necessary resources to fully implement this Plan.

(2) Technical Amendments. You must certify any technical amendments to your Plan in accordance with paragraph (a)(1) of this section when there is a change in the facility design, construction, operation, or maintenance that affects its potential for a discharge as described in § 112.1(b). If the facility change results in the facility no longer meeting the Tier I qualifying criteria in § 112.3(g)(1) because an individual oil storage container capacity exceeds 5,000 U.S. gallons or the facility capacity exceeds 10,000 U.S. gallons in aggregate aboveground storage capacity, within six months following preparation of the amendment, you must either:

(i) Prepare and implement a Plan in accordance with § 112.6(b) if you meet the Tier II qualified facility criteria in § 112.3(g)(2); or

(ii) Prepare and implement a Plan in accordance with the general Plan requirements in § 112.7, and applicable requirements in subparts B and C, including having the Plan certified by a Professional Engineer as required under § 112.3(d).

(3) Plan Template and Applicable Requirements. Prepare and implement an SPCC Plan that meets the following requirements under § 112.7 and in subparts B and C of this part: introductory paragraph of §§ 112.7, 112.7(a)(3)(i), 112.7(a)(3)(iv), 112.7(a)(3)(vi), 112.7(a)(4), 112.7(a)(5), 112.7(c), 112.7(e), 112.7(f), 112.7(g), 112.7(k), 112.8(b)(1), 112.8(b)(2), 112.8(c)(1), 112.8(c)(3), 112.8(c)(4), 112.8(c)(5), 112.8(c)(6), 112.8(c)(10), 112.8(d)(4), 112.9(b), 112.9(c)(1), 112.9(c)(2), 112.9(c)(3), 112.9(c)(4), 112.9(c)(5), 112.9(d)(1), 112.9(d)(3), 112.9(d)(4), 112.10(b), 112.10(c), 112.10(d), 112.12(b)(1), 112.12(b)(2), 112.12(c)(1), 112.12(c)(3), 112.12(c)(4), 112.12(c)(5), 112.12(c)(6), 112.12(c)(10), and 112.12(d)(4). The template in appendix G to this part has been developed to meet the requirements of 40 CFR part 112 and, when completed and signed by the owner or operator, may be used as the SPCC Plan. Additionally, you must meet the following requirements:

(i) Failure analysis, in lieu of the requirements in § 112.7(b). Where experience indicates a reasonable potential for equipment failure (such as loading or unloading equipment, tank overflow, rupture, or leakage, or any other equipment known to be a source of discharge), include in your Plan a prediction of the direction and total quantity of oil which could be discharged from the facility as a result of each type of major equipment failure.

(ii) Bulk storage container secondary containment, in lieu of the requirements in §§ 112.8(c)(2) and (c)(11) and 112.12(c)(2) and (c)(11). Construct all bulk storage container installations (except mobile refuelers and other non-transportation-related tank trucks), including mobile or portable oil storage containers, so that you provide a secondary means of containment for the entire capacity of the largest single container plus additional capacity to contain precipitation. Dikes, containment curbs, and pits are commonly employed for this purpose. You may also use an alternative system consisting of a drainage trench enclosure that must be arranged so that any discharge will terminate and be safely confined in a catchment basin or holding pond. Position or locate mobile or portable oil storage containers to prevent a discharge as described in § 112.1(b).

(iii) Overfill prevention, in lieu of the requirements in §§ 112.8(c)(8) and 112.12(c)(8). Ensure that each container is provided with a system or documented procedure to prevent overfills of the container, describe the system or procedure in the SPCC Plan and regularly test to ensure proper operation or efficacy.

(b) Tier II Qualified Facilities - (1) Preparation and Self-Certification of Plan. If you are the owner or operator of a facility that meets the Tier II qualified facility criteria in § 112.3(g)(2), you may choose to self-certify your Plan. You must certify in the Plan that:

(i) You are familiar with the requirements of this part;

(ii) You have visited and examined the facility;

(iii) The Plan has been prepared in accordance with accepted and sound industry practices and standards, and with the requirements of this part;

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

(v) You will fully implement the Plan;

(vi) The facility meets the qualification criteria set forth under § 112.3(g)(2);

(viii) The Plan and individual(s) responsible for implementing the Plan have the full approval of management and the facility owner or operator has committed the necessary resources to fully implement the Plan.

(2) Technical Amendments. If you self-certify your Plan pursuant to paragraph (b)(1) of this section, you must certify any technical amendments to your Plan in accordance with paragraph (b)(1) of this section when there is a change in the facility design, construction, operation, or maintenance that affects its potential for a discharge as described in § 112.1(b), except:

(i) If a Professional Engineer certified a portion of your Plan in accordance with paragraph (b)(4) of this section, and the technical amendment affects this portion of the Plan, you must have the amended provisions of your Plan certified by a Professional Engineer in accordance with paragraph (b)(4)(ii) of this section.

(ii) If the change is such that the facility no longer meets the Tier II qualifying criteria in § 112.3(g)(2) because it exceeds 10,000 U.S. gallons in aggregate aboveground storage capacity you must, within six months following the change, prepare and implement a Plan in accordance with the general Plan requirements in § 112.7 and the applicable requirements in subparts B and C of this part, including having the Plan certified by a Professional Engineer as required under § 112.3(d).

(3) Applicable Requirements. Except as provided in this paragraph, your self-certified SPCC Plan must comply with § 112.7 and the applicable requirements in subparts B and C of this part:

(i) Environmental Equivalence. Your Plan may not include alternate methods which provide environmental equivalence pursuant to § 112.7(a)(2), unless each alternate method has been reviewed and certified in writing by a Professional Engineer, as provided in paragraph (b)(4) of this section.

(ii) Impracticability. Your Plan may not include any determinations that secondary containment is impracticable and provisions in lieu of secondary containment pursuant to § 112.7(d), unless each such determination and alternate measure has been reviewed and certified in writing by a Professional Engineer, as provided in paragraph (b)(4) of this section.

(iii) Produced Water Containers. Your Plan may not include any alternative procedures for skimming produced water containers in lieu of sized secondary containment pursuant to § 112.9(c)(6), unless they have been reviewed and certified in writing by a Professional Engineer, as provided in paragraph (b)(4) of this section.

(4) Professional Engineer Certification of Portions of a Qualified Facility's Self-Certified Plan.

(i) As described in paragraph (b)(3) of this section, the facility owner or operator may not self-certify alternative measures allowed under § 112.7(a)(2) or (d), that are included in the facility's Plan. Such measures must be reviewed and certified, in writing, by a licensed Professional Engineer. For each alternative measure allowed under § 112.7(a)(2), the Plan must be accompanied by a written statement by a Professional Engineer that states the reason for nonconformance and describes the alternative method and how it provides equivalent environmental protection in accordance with § 112.7(a)(2). For each determination of impracticability of secondary containment pursuant to § 112.7(d), the Plan must clearly explain why secondary containment measures are not practicable at this facility and provide the alternative measures required in § 112.7(d) in lieu of secondary containment. By certifying each measure allowed under § 112.7(a)(2) and (d), the Professional Engineer attests:

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

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

(C) That the alternative method of environmental equivalence in accordance with § 112.7(a)(2) or the determination of impracticability and alternative measures in accordance with § 112.7(d) is consistent with good engineering practice, including consideration of applicable industry standards, and with the requirements of this part.

(ii) As described in paragraph (b)(3) of this section, the facility owner or operator may not self-certify measures as described in § 112.9(c)(6) for produced water containers and any associated piping. Such measures must be reviewed and certified, in writing, by a licensed Professional Engineer, in accordance with § 112.3(d)(1)(vi).

(iii) The review and certification by the Professional Engineer under this paragraph is limited to the alternative method which achieves equivalent environmental protection pursuant to § 112.7(a)(2); to the impracticability determination and measures in lieu of secondary containment pursuant to § 112.7(d); or the measures pursuant to § 112.9(c)(6) for produced water containers and any associated piping and appurtenances downstream from the container.

[73 FR 74302, Dec. 5, 2008, as amended at 74 FR 58810, Nov. 13, 2009]