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Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure Services

for Midland, TX; Odessa, TX; Hobbs, NM; Carlsbad, NM; Abilene, TX; San Angelo, TX; Lubbock, TX; Dallas, TX; Fort Worth, TX; Lafayette, LA & the Surrounding Areas

A Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) plan is a U.S. regulation requiring certain facilities to prevent oil discharges to navigable waters and includes measures for controlling and responding to spills. Key components include facility diagrams, secondary containment, and procedures for prevention and response, such as staff training and spill cleanup protocols. Facilities that could reasonably discharge oil to waterways and have an aboveground storage capacity greater than 1,320 gallons are subject to the rule.

Prevention

  • Facility Assessment: Evaluate the physical layout, identifying all oil storage containers (including fixed, portable, and exempt tanks) and their capacity, as well as potential pathways to waterways like ditches or storm sewers.
  • Secondary Containment: Install dikes, berms, or other structures to prevent oil from escaping from storage areas into the environment.
  • Routine Inspections: Regularly inspect storage tanks, piping, and containment areas to ensure they are in good condition.

Control

  • Handling Procedures: Develop and implement strict procedures for handling oil products, such as using proper tools and removing only the necessary amount from a container at a time.
  • Container Management: Keep containers closed and properly labeled and ensure caps are firmly in place when not in use.
Desert scene with a saguaro cactus silhouetted against a setting sun, small hills in the background.

Countermeasure (Response)

  • Spill Response Plan: Create a clear plan that outlines the steps for responding to a spill, including immediate actions to control and contain the spill and a procedure for cleanup.
  • Emergency Equipment: Ensure you have the necessary equipment, such as absorbents and spill kits, readily available.
  • Training: Train personnel on spill prevention and response procedures, including the proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
  • Reporting and Disposal: Have a process for reporting spills to the proper authorities and a plan for the proper disposal of all recovered materials in accordance with state laws. 

Who Is Affected?

  • Facilities with an aggregate aboveground oil storage capacity of more than 1,320 gallons
  • Facilities where there is a “reasonable expectation” that a spill could reach a navigable water or adjoining shoreline


If your facility falls in one of those two categories and is located in Odessa, TX; Midland, TX; Dallas, TX; Hobbs, NM; Carlsbad, NM; Fort Worth, TX; Houston, TX; Lubbock, TX; Abilene, TX; San Angelo, TX; Lafayette, LA; and the surrounding areas; we invite you to contact eTech Environmental & Safety Solutions for an SPCC plan that will not only keep you in compliance with the authorities, but benefit your business as well.