1. Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasures (SPCC)
2013 College and University Hazardous Waste Conference
By Rob Lowe, Environmental Engineer, VT EHS
November 29, 2018

2. About Virginia Tech 31,000 students 2500 acres main campus
Several off campus college farms
13 off campus agricultural research farms
Other facilities

3. About me Graduate of Virginia Tech in Environmental Engineering
25 years in environmental field
17 years at Virginia Tech
Responsible for environmental compliance at VT (air, petroleum, stormwater, waste, etc.) 3 3

4. SPCC Overview Purpose Who is covered? What types of oil?
What is included?
What are navigable waters?
What is required?

5. SPCC Overview Who can certify? What do you do now?
What if there is a spill?
For more information

6. Purpose
“To prevent the discharge of oil into
navigable waters.”

7. Who is covered? Total above ground storage of >1,320 US gallons, or
Total underground storage of > 42,000 US gallons, and
Reasonable expectation of a spill reaching navigable waters.

8. What types of oil?
Petroleum, fuel oil, oil sludge, fats, animal oils, greases, vegetable oils, synthetic oils, and mineral oils.
Excludes, (drum roll, please) milk!

9. What is included? Only count > 55 gallon containers
Bulk storage tanks
Buried tanks (total or partial)
Mobile or portable tanks
Oil-filled equipment

10. Typical Farm Tanks

11. Not Typical Farm Tanks

12. What are navigable waters?
Does my facility discharge to navigable waters?
Yes

13. What is required? Prevent oil spills Use suitable containers
Provide overfill protection
Provide secondary containment
Periodically inspect and test containers and pipes

14. What is required? Prepare and implement an SPCC Plan
Describe operating procedures to prevent spills
Implement control measures
Describe countermeasures to mitigate a spill

15. Who can certify? Can self-certify (if certain criteria are met)
Otherwise, a licensed Professional Engineer (PE) needs to certify

16. What do you do now? Prepare SPCC plans if you don’t have them
Review and recertify existing plans
Annually, train people on the plans!

17. What if there is a spill? Safely, stop discharge and clean it up
If oil reaches navigable waters, report to National Response Center immediately ( )
Report to local regulatory authorities
Call 911 if needed
Report larger spills to EPA
Produce any follow up reports

18. Practical Considerations
One or many plans?
Who does inspections?
If there is a spill, who do you call?
What about training?
Generator tanks
Equipment
EPA Inspection

19. What do you do with this?

20. What do you do with this?

21. What do you do with this?

22. For more information www.epa.gov/emergencies

23. About me Rob Lowe, P.E. Environmental, Health and Safety Virginia Tech
(540)

24. Questions?
Discussions?