The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed to extend the Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) plans compliance date for farms to May 10, 2013.   The original compliance deadline was Nov. 10, 2011. 

            According to the EPA website, if no adverse comments are received by Nov. 2 then the rule will become effective Nov. 7, 2011.

            This deadline extension is for agricultural operations started after Aug. 16, 2002.  Operations in place before Aug. 16, 2002 must already be in compliance.

            Agricultural operations that store more than 1,320 gallons of oil or oil products in aboveground containers (or more than 42,000 gallons in buried containers) and that have the potential to leak into waters of the U.S. are required by law to comply with the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) SPCC program. 

            Regarding the extension, the EPA website stated:  “An overwhelming segment of the continental United States was affected by flooding during the spring and summer of 2011.  Other areas were impacted by devastating fires.  Many counties in many states were declared disaster areas by either the federal or state government or both.  As a result, EPA believes that because of their unique nature farms were disproportionately affected and need additional time to prepare and implement a Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure Plan.”

EPA Contact Information:  Jennifer Schuller, EPA Region 8’s Agriculture Advisor, at 303-312-6334, or Melissa Payan with EPA Region 8’s Oil Program at 800-227-8917 x 6511.  EPA’s website has a plan template available for download here.