The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed extending an industry compliance deadline for its 2002 revisions to oil spill response and prevention rules which apply to a wide range of industry sectors, including FBO’s and other operators who perform aircraft fueling.
The Proposed Rule establishes amended deadlines of August 17, 2005, to amend an existing SPCC plan, and February 18, 2006, to implement the plan. Affected facilities that start operations between August 16, 2002, and February 18, 2006, must prepare and implement an Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) plan by February 18, 2006. Affected facilities that become operational after February 18, 2006, must prepare and implement an SPCC plan before starting operations.
According to Eric Byer, director of government & industry affairs for the National Air Transportation Association, “[t]his delay is a great relief to our members as they will no longer fear enforcement action while the EPA finally determines how the standards actually apply. This is particularly important for those companies involved in fueling operations.”
Comments on the proposal, due by July 7, 2004, are expected to be overwhelmingly in favor of the delay. You may submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. OPA-2004-0003, by one of the following methods: 1. Federal Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov and follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments; 2. Using EDOCKET at the agency’s web site: http://www.epa.gov/edocket (the EPA’s preferrred method for receiving comments); or 3. Via U.S. Mail addressed to EPA Docket Center, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., EPA West, Suite B-102, Washington, DC 20460.
