SPCC compliance dates for farms

What are the Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) compliance dates for farms?

On November 22, 2011, EPA amended the date by which certain farms must prepare, or amend, and implement their SPCC Plans to May 10, 2013 to comply with SPCC rule amendments promulgated since July 2002 (76 FR 72120). EPA revised the SPCC rule on July 17, 2002 (67 FR 47042), December 26, 2006 (71 FR 77266), December 5, 2008 (73 FR 74236), November 13, 2009 (74 FR 58784), and April 18, 2011 (74 FR 21652). These modifications revised applicability, amended requirements for completing SPCC Plans, streamlined and tailored requirements for certain sectors, and provided clarifications.

Owners or operators of farms that were in operation before August 16, 2002, and that are subject to the SPCC rule requirements must maintain and continue implementing their SPCC Plans in accordance with the SPCC regulations then in effect. These farmers must amend their Plans by May 10, 2013 to comply with the SPCC regulatory amendments promulgated since July 2002.

Owner or operators of farms that began operating after August 16, 2002 must develop an SPCC Plan and implement the Plan by May 10, 2013.

Only certain existing farms maintaining an SPCC Plan or new farms that began operating after August 16, 2002, are eligible for the extension (76 FR 72120, 72122). If a farm was operating prior to August 16, 2002 and was subject to the SPCC rule, the farmer should have prepared an SPCC Plan. However, if no Plan was prepared the farmer must immediately prepare and fully implement a Plan that meets the current SPCC rule requirements of 40 CFR 112 (this includes all rule revisions since July 2002).