by Jbs073110 a3 — August 4, 2010—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed on July 30 to extend the compliance date by one year for certain facilities subject to recent amendments to the Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) rule. The agency is also announcing that certain facilities will not be eligible for the one-year extension and will have to comply by the current date of November 10, 2010.
Types of facilities not eligible for proposed extension that must comply by November 10, 2010 include drilling, production or workover facilities that are offshore or that have an offshore component, or onshore facilities required to have and submit facility response plans (FRPs), due to the threats these facilities could pose of significant oil spills to navigable waters or adjoining shorelines.
Types of facilities that may be eligible for the proposed one-year extension include oil production, farms, electric utility plants, petroleum refining and related industries, chemical manufacturing, food manufacturing, manufacturing facilities using and storing animal fats and vegetable oils, metal and other manufacturing, real estate rental and leasing, retail trade, contract construction, wholesale trade, other commercial, transportation, arts entertainment and recreation, other services (except public administration), petroleum bulk stations and terminals, education, hospitals and other health care, accommodation and food services, fuel oil dealers, gasoline stations, information finance and insurance, mining, warehousing and storage, religious organizations, military installations and government facilities.
EPA is seeking comment for a 15-day period on whether a shorter extension period (six to nine months) is warranted for facilities rather than the proposed one-year extension, requesting comments on the criteria to consider, such as discharge history, size and type of facility, potential risk posed, and ability to come into compliance.
