EPA Region 8 Preparedness Unit Vol. II No. 1 Planning, Prevention, and Preparedness Newsletter January 2012 Farm Relief: SPCC Compliance Deadline Extended to May 2013 for Agricultural Facilities Inside this issue: EPA has recently extended the date that agricultural facilities must come into compliance with the new Spill Prevention, Con- trol, and Countenneasure (SPCC) rule to May 10, 2013. Many of the changes to the 1974 rule now streamline the requirements for farmers and small facilities, especially those storing up to 10,000 gallons of oil. Agricultural facilities that began storing oil before August 16, 2002 must revise their SPCC plan to meet the 2002 changes by the May 2013 deadline. Confidential Chem. Info Pg. 2 Hydrogen Sulfide Reporting Pg-3 Commodity Flow Guidebook Pg.4 EPA Draft Findings Pg. 5 It doesn't take a lot of oil to do significant damage to the environment. In fact, as little as one gallon of oil CSB Hazard Report Pg. 6 can contaminate one million gallons of water. The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Oil Spill Prevention, Control, and Countenneasure (SPCC) rule is designed to prevent oil spills from damaging our water and natural resources. By developing spill prevention plans and taking basic precautions, farmers and livestock producers can avoid the costs (and headaches) that can result from even a small spill from their tanks. To develop a plan, fanners and livestock producers need to identify oil storage containers, any controls they have in place to pre- vent potential spills from reaching water, and the methods and resources available to them to contain and clean up spills. Plans should also include a list of emergency contacts and first responders. Not every fann or livestock operation needs a plan. A plan is required if an operation stores more than 1,320 gallons of oil, or fuel, in above ground containers (or more than 42,000 gallons in buried containers), and an accidental spill from a container could reach navigable waters of the United States. Oils are defined to include petroleum products such as oils, fuels, sludge, synthetic oils, and oil refuse; as well as animal fats, and vegetable and fish oils. In the event of a spill, fanners and livestock producers should follow the steps in their plan and notify EPA's National Response Center (800-424-8802) of any discharge to water. EPA's regional office in Denver (303) 293-1788 should also be notified if more than 1,000 gallons of oil is discharged to a body of water in a single event, or if more than 42 gallons of oil is spilled to water on two different occasions within a 12-month period. Although the SPCC requirements originated in 1974. EPA has amended the nile to make compliance easier. Now, only individual containers with a capacity of 55 gallons or more are counted towards the 1,320 gallon threshold. Pesticide mix containers, pesti- cides application equipment, residential heating oil tanks, and milk product containers have been exempted. Fanners can also now self-certify their plans if the total oil storage capacity at a facility is less than 10,000 gallons. A template can be used to self-certify if no single container is larger than 5,000 gallons. If total oil storage capacity exceeds 10,000 gallons, the plan must be certified by a professional engineer. SPCC plans are an effective way to minimize the likelihood of a spill and to ensure that any spills that do occur are contained be- fore they can damage water resources. If you have any questions, please contact Melissa Payan with EPA Region 8's Oil Program at 800-227-8917 x 312-6511. For more information about the SPCC program, please visit the following websites: Fact sheet for fanners: http://www.epa.gov/emergencies/docs/oil/spcc/spccfanns.pdf SPCC for Agriculture: http://www.epa.gov/emergencies/content/spcc/spcc ag.htm NEW CAMEO VERSION New versions of CAMEO//?; and Tier2 Submit are now available: Download CAMEO//;/ 2.3 at ttp://www.epa.gov/emergencies/content/cameo/cameo.htni Download Tier2 Submit 2011 at itp://www.epa.gov/emergencies/content/epcra/tier2.htm Note: If you're upgrading to CAMEO//// 2.3 from a previous version of CAMEO, follow the instructions in the guidance document (provided on the download page) to ensure that you don't lose your cunent data. Partner Corner More localized info? Check out these sites. Montana Wyoming North Dakota South Dakota Utah Colorado Denver ------- Planning, Prevention, and Preparedness Newsletter January 2012 What's changed in CAMEOfm 2.3? Added ability to link to documents within the Routes and Incidents modules Expanded export to KML functionality (for Facilities only) to include an optional chemical inventory list Made the county field a drop-down list (once the state has been entered) Enhanced record navigation buttons and eliminated the status toolbar Updated to allow import of Tier2 Submit 2011 files Updated state-specific fields Upgraded code to FileMaker 11 Fixed minor bugs What's changed in Tier2 Submit 2011? Added export to KML capability Made the county field a drop-down list (once the state has been entered) Enhanced record navigation buttons and eliminated the status toolbar Updated state-specific fields Upgraded code to FileMaker 11 Fixed minor bugs REMEMBER TO ALWAYS MAKE A BACKUP CAMEO FILE BEFORE INSTALLING THE NEW CAMEOfm2.3!!H! BACKUP INSTRUCTIONS: 1. open your existing CAMEOfm 2. select the File / Import/Export / Export menu 3. select Export All CAMEO data 4. name the file "2011-11-17 all CAMEO data backup" 5. save to your computer NOW, you can install the new CAME02.3 software. After installation, import the 2011-11-17 all CAMEO data backup.zip" file EPA Releases Formerly Confidential Chemical Information As part of the EPA's commitment to enhance the chemicals management program and increase transparency, the agency is making available to the public hundreds of studies on chemicals that have previously been treated as confidential business information (CBI). The move is part of EPA's plan to make public the chemicals that are not entitled to CBI status. Releasing the data will expand the public's access to critical health and safety information on chemicals that are manufactured and processed in the U.S. Newly available information can be found using EPA's Chemical Data Access Tool. "EPA is increasing the availability of critical health and safety studies on chemicals that children and families are exposed to every day. We are making important progress in making this informa- tion public and giving the American public easy access to it," said Steve Owens, assistant adminis- trator for EPA's Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. "Over the next year, we expect to review several thousand additional studies on industrial chemicals and make many of these more accessible to the public." Since 2009, 577 chemicals previously masked by CBI claims are no longer confidential and more than 1,000 health and safety studies on these chemicals are now available to the public. EPA issued new guidance in 2010 that outlined the Agency's plan to deny confidentiality claims for chemicals identified in health and safety studies and that are determined not to be entitled to CBI status under the federal Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). EPA has been reviewing CBI claims in new and existing TSCA filings containing health and safety studies. Consistent with this guidance, the Agency will request that companies voluntarily relinquish CBI claims and make all new studies available to the public. EPA also challenged the chemical industry to make previously classified CBI information available to the public. To date, more than 35 companies have agreed to review filings containing health and safety studies and determine if asso- ciated CBI claims are no longer necessary. The newly available information can be found using the Chemical Data Access Tool. launched in December 2010 . Click on new "declassified tab" to retrieve chemical health and safety information submitted to EPA under TSCA. For additional information, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/oppt/existingchemicals/pubs/transparencv.html Page 2 ------- Planning, Prevention, and Preparedness Newsletter January 2012 EPA Reinstates TRI Reporting Requirements for Hydrogen Sulfide The Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) is a public database that contains information on toxic chemical re- leases and waste management activities that are reported annually by certain industries and federal facili- ties. The purpose of TRI is to inform the public about toxic chemical releases in their communities and to provide the government with information for research and the potential development of regulations. Hydrogen sulfide was added to the TRI list of toxic chemicals in a final rule published on December 1, 1993. However, on August 22, 1994, EPA suspended the TRI reporting requirements for hydrogen sulfide in order to address issues that were raised by mem- bers of the regulated community regarding the information used to support the original listing decision. On February 26, 2010, EPA published a Federal Register document that provided the public with the opportunity to comment on EPA's review of the currently available data on the human health and enviromnental effects of hydrogen sulfide. After consideration of public com- ments, EPA has concluded that the reporting requirements for hydrogen sulfide should be reinstated This action will be effective for the 2012 TRI reporting year. The first reports for the 2012 TRI reporting year are due from facili- ties by July 1, 2013. Hydrogen sulfide is a colorless, poisonous gas with a smell of rotten eggs. It occurs naturally in crude petroleum, natural gas, vol- canic gases, and hot springs. It can also result from the breakdown of organic matter such as human and animal waste , and from industrial activities, such as food processing, coke ovens, Kraft paper mills, tanneries, and petroleum refineries. Individuals living near wastewater treatment plants, gas and oil drilling operations, farms with manure storage or livestock confinement facilities, or a landfills may be exposed to higher levels of hydrogen sulfide. More information on TRI: http://www.epa.gov/tri EPA Emergency Crews Successful in Snuffing Tire Fire (South Dakota) EPA Emergency Response crews successfully extinguished a tire fire that occurred approxi- mately three miles west of Carter, South Dakota and adjacent to the Rosebud Sioux Reserva- tion landfill. The fire started as a result of the Okreek fire which burned an 18-mile path through the reservation, including the landfill where the tire pile was located, before being contained. "We're glad to have had such a fast rate of success on putting out the fire," said Kerry Guy, EPA On-Scene Coordinator. "The assistance provided by the Rosebud Solid Waste Manage- ment and Okreek Fire Operations to EPA's response efforts was extremely helpful in containing and extinguishing this fire in a timely manner." EPA began its emergency response October 8, 2011. EPA responders used an excavator to dig a, 10 - 15 foot wide by 5 foot deep, trench along the east and south sides of the tire pile. The blaze was extinguished by pushing the tire pile into the trench and cover- ing it with soil. EPA response activities continued through October 10th, when the south end of the tire pile was pushed into the trench and covered with soil and the soil cover was graded and compacted. Some major enviromnental and human health hazards that can result from tire fires include the production of pyrolytic oils which, if not contained, can affect the land and contaminate nearby surface and ground water sources. Additionally, high levels of particu- late emissions and acrid smoke are released as a result of burning tires, affecting the health of nearby workers and residents. For more information please visit: http://www.epaosc.org/site/site profile.aspx?site id=7 Ammonia Leak Results in Death PILOT MOUND, Iowa (October 31, 2011) - A 74-year-old fanner has died after anhydrous ammonia leaked from a tank in cen- tral Iowa. Authorities say a hose broke, allowing the fertilizer out of the tank on Saturday morning. The accident occurred on the east side of Pilot Mound in northwestern Boone County. Richard Shaw, of Ogden, was pronounced dead at the scene. His 54-year-old son, Michael Shaw, was taken to a Des Moines hos- pital. A sheriffs deputy, two paramedics and another rescuer have been treated for exposure. Anhydrous ammonia can damage skin, eyes and lungs. John Morrell Company to pay penalty and improve management of ammonia at Sioux Falls meat proc- essing plant: Company to pay $206,000 and improve measures to prevent releases of hazardous chemical The U.S. Enviromnental Protection Agency announced today that the John Morrell Company has agreed to pay a $206,000 penalty and improve the maintenance of process equipment at its Sioux Falls, S.D., meat packing facility to resolve Clean Air Act viola- Page 3 ------- Planning, Prevention, and Preparedness Newsletter January 2012 tions. The John Morrell facility in Sioux Falls is subject to risk management regulations because it uses large quantities of anhy- drous ammonia. Under the Clean Air Act, facilities that handle hazardous chemicals must develop a risk management program and submit a plan to assist with emergency preparedness, prevent chemical releases, and minimize any releases that do occur. EPA inspectors found that the facility had not adequately implemented these regulations. "Anhydrous ammonia is acutely toxic and extremely hazardous when released into the air," said Mike Gaydosh, director of EPA's enforcement program in Denver. "Failing to establish adequate risk management programs and keep plans updated can increase the risk of accidents and compromise the effectiveness of emergency response actions." John Morrell has had several releases of anhydrous ammonia at the Sioux Falls facility in the past, including one in 2004 which resulted in a penalty from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. For more information on the Clean Air Act and risk management requirements: http://www.epa.gov/oem/content/rmp/ caa faas.htm Attorney General announces indictment of Denver residents suspected of illegally disposing of dry clean- ing chemicals DENVER Colorado Attorney General John Suthers announced that his office has obtained an indictment for Continental Fabric Care, Inc., and its owners June Ho Choi (DOB: 12/21/1951) and Hyun S. Pak (DOB: 4/5/1948), concerning their involvement in the abandomnent of hazardous chemicals in eastern Denver. According to the indictment, filed in Denver District Court, Pak and Choi abandoned a tractor-trailer containing drums of danger- ous chemicals parked in the 3700 block of Nome Street in Denver. Neither individual nor their business. Continental Fabric Care, were licensed to dispose of or store dry cleaning chemicals there. Following the discovery of the chemicals, Pak and Choi are sus- pected of lying to officials from the Enviromnental Protection Agency about the tractor trailer and the chemicals. "Illegally stored hazardous waste can harm the public and the environment," said Lori Hanson, Special Agent in Charge of EPA's criminal enforcement program in Colorado. "The waste in this case can cause dizziness, nausea, unconsciousness and even death. Today's indictments show that we will work with our state law enforcement partners to prosecute those who refuse to comply with the law and in the process put the public and the enviromnent at risk." The Office of the Attorney General investigated the case and secured the indictment with the assistance of the Colorado Environ- mental Crime Task Force, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Enviromnent, and the Enviromnental Protection Agency's Criminal Investigations Division. Consumers who believe illegal dumping or other enviromnental crimes have taken place can file a complaint online via www.coloradoattornevgeneral.gov/enviromnentalcrime. or to the EPA at http://www.epa.gov/compliance/complaints/index.html Guidebook for Conducting Local Hazardous Materials Commodity Flow Studies - Transportation Re- search Board & Texas A&M NASTTPO and its members assisted in this project and they are acknowledged by the authors (See Link) Local and regional governments require information on the types, quantities, and locations of hazardous materials being trans- ported through their jurisdictions to plan for effective and appropriate emergency response to incidents. Although the U.S. Depart- ment of Transportation (USDOT) provides a detailed handbook (Guidance for Conducting Hazardous Materials Flow Surveys. January 1995) for local governments to use in conducting highway commodity flow studies, local planners often do not have ac- cess to reliable and comprehensive data on the flow of hazardous materials within their jurisdictions. By and large, existing data sources are too broad, covering flows at the national level and to a limited extent the state level. More detailed data involving all modes of transportation are required by local and regional governments when making decisions about hazardous materials training and emergency response preparedness. The objective of this project is to produce an updated, user-friendly guidebook for conducting hazardous materials commodity flow surveys to support local risk assessment, emergency response preparedness, and resource allocation and to support analyses across jurisdictional boundaries. This guidebook should be targeted at transportation planning and operations staff at the local and regional levels, as well as local and regional personnel involved in hazardous materials training, and emergency response. All modes of transportation, all classes and divisions of hazardous materials, and the effects of seasonality on hazardous materials movements should be discussed. The guidebook should explain data collection methodologies to obtain hazardous materials data at the local level (from public and private sources) and identify methods that can be used by local and regional planners to identify and estimate hazardous materials flows in their jurisdictions. The hazardous materials data obtained through the methods discussed in the guidebook must be trans- parent and clearly understood by both novice and advanced users. The guidebook should explain how existing datasets can be used in isolation or can be combined with other datasets or statistical methods to estimate hazardous materials commodity flows at dif- ferent levels of specificity. Page 4 ------- Planning, Prevention, and Preparedness Newsletter January 2012 The guidebook produced as part of this project should include a resource guide to information related to hazardous materials com- modity flows from existing local, state, and regional hazardous materials commodity flow surveys and related materials. In addi- tion, the guidebook should propose a framework for developing and implementing a centralized directory/repository of local, state, and regional hazardous materials commodity flow surveys. Status: Published as HMCRP Report 3. The Guide is also available electronically at http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/luncrp/luncrp rpt 003.pdf The contractor's final report and appendices (unedited by TRB) are available electronically at http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/luncrp/docs/HM01_FR.pdf EPA Releases Draft Findings of Pavillion, Wyoming Ground Water Investigation for Public Comment and Independent Scientific Review Denver, Colo. (December 8, 2011) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today released a draft analysis of data from its Pavillion, Wyoming ground water investigation. At the request of Pavillion residents, EPA began investigating water quality concerns in private drinking water wells three years ago. Since that time, in conjunction with the state of Wyoming, the local community, and the owner of the gas field, Encana, EPA has been working to assess ground water quality and identify poten- tial sources of contamination. EPA constructed two deep monitoring wells to sample water in the aquifer. The draft report indicates that ground water in the aq- uifer contains compounds likely associated with gas production practices, including hydraulic fracturing. EPA also re-tested pri- vate and public drinking water wells in the community. The samples were consistent with chemicals identified in earlier EPA re- sults released in 2010 and are generally below established health and safety standards. To ensure a transparent and rigorous analy- sis, EPA is releasing these findings for public comment and will submit them to an independent scientific review panel. The draft findings announced today are specific to Pavillion, where the fracturing is taking place in and below the drinking water aquifer and in close proximity to drinking water wells - production conditions different from those in many other areas of the country. Natural gas plays a key role in our nation's clean energy future and the Obama Administration is committed to ensuring that the development of this vital resource occurs safely and responsibly. At the direction of Congress, and separate from this ground water investigation, EPA has begun a national study on the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources. "EPA's highest priority remains ensuring that Pavillion residents have access to safe drinking water," said Jim Martin, EPA's regional administrator in Denver. "We will continue to work cooperatively with the State, Tribes, Encana and the community to secure long-term drinking water solutions. We look forward to having these findings in the draft report informed by a transparent and public review process. In consultation with the Tribes, EPA will also work with the State on additional investigation of the Pavillion field." Findings in the Two Deep Water Monitoring Wells: EPA's analysis of samples taken from the Agency's deep monitoring wells in the aquifer indicates detection of synthetic chemi- cals, like glycols and alcohols consistent with gas production and hydraulic fracturing fluids, benzene concentrations well above Safe Drinking Water Act standards and high methane levels. Given the area's complex geology and the proximity of drinking wa- ter wells to ground water contamination, EPA is concerned about the movement of contaminants within the aquifer and the safety of drinking water wells over time. Findings in the Private and Public Drinking Water Wells: EPA also updated its sampling of Pavillion area drinking water wells. Chemicals detected in the most recent samples are consistent with those identified in earlier EPA samples and include methane, other petroleum hydrocarbons and other chemical compounds. The presence of these compounds is consistent with migration from areas of gas production. Detections in drinking water wells are generally below established health and safety standards. In the fall of 2010, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registiy reviewed EPA's data and recommended that affected well owners take several precautionary steps, including using alternate sources of water for drinking and cooking, and ventilation when showering. Those recommendations remain in place and Encana has been funding the provision of alternate water supplies. Before issuing the draft report, EPA shared preliminary data with, and obtained feedback from, Wyoming state officials, Encana, Tribes and Pavillion residents. The draft report is available for a 45 day public comment period and a 30 day peer-review process led by a panel of independent scientists. For a copy of the draft report, or more information on EPA's Pavillion groundwater inves- tigation, visit: http://www.epa.gov/region8/superfund/wv/pavillion/index.html EPA on scene at massive Texas chemical fire to test for toxic fumes (October 3,2011) A massive fire at a chemical plant in Waxahachie, Texas, led to evacuations and worries about toxic fumes. Firefighters battled a blaze at a small, privately-held chemical plant in Waxahachie, Texas, Monday, amid concerns that the fumes from the plant could be toxic. Page 5 ------- Planning, Prevention, and Preparedness Newsletter January 2012 The US Environmental Protection Agency brought sensors into the area, but so far, the detectors have found nothing that requires additional evacuations or precautions beyond those already taken, according to EPA officials on the scene. The blaze prompted officials to evacuate homes and schools near the plant, which sits at the inter- section of two major highw ays, and people farther afield were encouraged to stay indoors and close windows. The fire, which sent a plume of black smoke billowing into the air much of the day, is about 90 per- cent contained, according to local fire officials. Officials say no one at the plant or in the surrounding area has been injured. Fire officials say the blaze broke out around ll a.m. as workers at Magnablend, Inc.'s facility were mixing chemicals. The com- pany blends and packs liquid and powdered chemicals for a range of activities from fanning and oil production to cleaning prod- ucts for industry. Among the liquids at the facility: large quantities of ammonia and several forms of acid, including sulfuric and hydrochloric acid. UPDATE: Search for Cause Begins After Massive Chemical Fire Extinguished WAXAHACHIE (October 4. 201 ])Officials are now investigating how workers who were mixing chemicals at a plant in Waxahachie south of Dallas inadvertently sparked a fire that produced massive plumes of po- tentially toxic black smoke and bright orange flames, forcing evacua- tions of homes, schools and businesses in the area. Firefighters remained the scene of the fire at the Magnablend. Inc., plant overnight to monitor hot spots. The smoke from the fire was so heavy that it showed up on weather radars. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency monitored air quality in the area while the fire was burning Monday and afterward and said it has not found evidence of elevated levels of toxic chemicals in the air. The fire broke out at around 11 a.m. Monday. No serious injuries were reported and the 25 to 30 employees who were inside the facility escaped safely. Just after noon, Ellis County emergency management officials ordered residents in the area of Highway 287 and Interstate 35-E in Waxahachie to evacuate immediately because of the fire. Residents of the Solon Place apartments, and students and staff at Wedgeworth Elemen- tary and Navarro College were advised to evacuate immediately. The students were moved to another school out of the path of the smoke and fumes from the fire. In all, about 1,000 residents were evacuated, but officials said they have been allowed to return to their homes. Classes resumed on schedule Tuesday at the elementary school. Magnablend is a chemical manufacturing, blending and packaging company that manufactures custom chemicals for industries ranging from oil fields to construction and industrial cleaning, according to the company's website. CSB Report Finds that Oil and Gas Exploration and Production Facilities Present Hazards to Members of the Public, Especially Children CSB Issues Recommendations to EPA, State Regulators, NFPA, and API Aimed at Increasing Oil Site Safety and Security Hattiesburg. MS, (October 27, 2011) - The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) today released a new study of explosions at oil and gas production sites across the U.S., identifying 26 inci- dents since 1983 that killed 44 members of the public and injured 25 others under the age of 25, and is calling for new public protection measures at the sites. The report examined in detail three explosions that occurred at oil and gas production facilities in Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas, that killed and injured members of the public between October 2009 and April 2010. The CSB report found that children and young adults frequently socialize at oil sites in rural areas, unaware of the explosion hazards from storage tanks that contain flammable hydrocar- bons like crude oil and natural gas condensate. The unintentional introduction of an ignition source (such as a match, lighter, cigarette, or static electricity) near tank hatches or vents can trigger an internal tank explosion, often launching the tank into the air and killing or injuring people nearby. The report identified regulatory gaps at the federal and state levels and called on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state regulatory bodies to improve current safety and security measures at exploration and production sites such as warning signs, full fencing, locked gates, locks on tank hatches, and other physical barriers. The report also called on state regulators in Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas to require safer, modem tank designs that reduce the likelihood of an internal tank explosion if an ignition source is inadvertently introduced nearby. Page 6 ------- Planning, Prevention, and Preparedness Newsletter January 2012 On October 31, 2009, two teenagers, aged 16 and 18, were killed when a storage tank containing natural gas condensate exploded at a rural gas production site in Carnes, Mississippi. Six months later a group of youths were exploring a similar tank site in Weleetka, Oklahoma, when an explosion and fire fatally injured one individual. Two weeks later, a 25-year-old man and a 24- year-old woman were on top of an oil tank in rural New London Texas, when the tank exploded, killing the woman and seriously injuring the man. The CSB deployed investigators to all three sites to collect information on the incidents. Investigators found that the three accidents occurred in isolated, rural wooded areas at production sites that were unfenced, did not have clear or legi- ble warning signs and did not have hatch locks to prevent access to the flammable hydrocarbons inside the tanks. CSB Chairman Rafael Moure-Eraso said, "After reviewing the work of our investigators I believe that these incidents were en- tirely preventable. Basic security measures and warning signs - as well as more safely designed storage tanks - will essentially prevent kids from being killed in tank explosions at these sites." The CSB's investigation found a few major cities and some states, such as California and Ohio, already require varying levels of security for oil and gas production sites, such as fencing, locked or sealed tank hatches, and warning signs. As a result, California did not appear to have any fatal tank explosions between 1983 and 2011. However, many other large oil and gas producing states have no such requirements. The major oil producing states Texas and Oklahoma require fencing and warning signs for certain sites that have toxic gas hazards but not for all sites with flammable storage tanks. "Oil and gas storage sites are part of the landscape in many rural American communities; hundreds of thousands of similar sites are located across the country," said CSB Lead Investigator Vidisha Parasram. "It was a concern to discover that issues related to public safety are rarely considered prior to placement and design of these sites. In many cases sites can be as close as 150 to 300 feet from existing buildings such as residences, schools, and churches, and still lack any meaningful warnings or barriers to pre- vent public access." The Board recommended that EPA issue a safety bulletin warning of the explosion hazards of storage tanks, describe the impor- tance of increased security measures such as fencing, gates and signs, and recommend the use of inherently safer storage tank design. Similarly, the CSB's recommendations seek to address the current gaps in regulations and codes in Mississippi, Okla- homa and Texas. The CSB's investigation also examined industry codes and standards, such as those from the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). The final report recommends that both organizations adequately address the hazards that these sites present to members of the public through amendments to their existing codes or creation of additional guidance. As a result of the investigation's findings the CSB recommended that API warn of the explosion hazards presented by exploration and production sites, including requirements for security measures such as fencing gates and signs, recommendations for inher- ently safer storage tank design and acknowledgment of the public safety issue presented by these sites. On April 13, 2011, the CSB held a news conference and public meeting in Hattiesburg to release the safety video "No Place to Hang Out: The Danger of Oil Well Sites.'The video is aimed at educating young people about the hazards associated with oil storage tanks. In the video the CSB interviewed teenagers and adults who stated that it is a common practice in rural areas for young people to hang out and socialize at oil production sites. To view the CSB's final report click here. To view the CSB's safety video "No Place to Hang Out: The Danger of Oil Well Sites" click here. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) The Office of Pipeline Safety is the Federal safety authority for the nation's 2.3 million miles of natural gas and hazardous liquid pipelines. At the Website: www plimsa.dot.gov/about/agencv you can find information regarding pipeline regulations, proposed and final rulemakings, pipeline statistics. Common Ground Alliance and One Call programs, request procedures under Freedom of Infor- mation Act guidelines, reports on major pipeline accidents/incidents and corrective action orders, pipeline mapping systems informa- tion, training and publications, and online library of Pipeline safety forms and public information files. PHMSA recognizes that the first element of facing a challenge is to prepare for it. Preparation involves many different activities planning, training, exercising, and enhancing capabilities. Reaching out to emergency responders, hazardous materials, and pipeline industry stakeholders is one of PHMSA's core goals to ensure these communities are fully primed to deal with any type of hazard- ous material or pipeline incident. PHMSA provides technical expertise to industry and works closely with the response community to ensure the transportation system remains safe. Moving into the future, it is essential for PHMSA to continue to build partnerships with you, the stakeholder, for the improve- ment of emergency response capabilities and continue to enhance the safety of the hazardous materials transportation and energy pipeline supply system. Hazardous Materials Trans- portation and Pipeline Acci- dents are to be reported di- rectly to the 24-hour Na- tional Response Center (NRC): at 1-800-424-8802. To reach the DOT's 24-hour Crisis Management Center, call 202-366-1863 Page 7 ------- Planning, Prevention, and Preparedness Newsletter January 2012 Preparedness Unit Mission Statement: We will increase EPA Region 8 preparedness through: Planning, Training, Exercising, and developing outreach relations with federal agencies, states, tribes, local organizations and the regulated community. Assisting in the development of EPA Region 8 preparedness planning and response capa- bilities through the RSC, IMT, RRT, OP A, RMP, etc. Working with facilities to reduce accidents and spills through education, inspections and enforcement. To view or programs, or contact a member of our team: (Click here for Org Charts Acronym List IMT Incident Management Team OPA Oil Pollution Act RRT Regional Response Team RSC Response Support Corps SPCC Spill Prevention, Control, and Countenneasures Emergencies Report oil or chemical spills at 800-424-8802 More ... 1 (800) 424-8802 National Response Center www.nrc.usc g.m Risk Management Program (RMP) Bradley Miller-Coordinator303-312-6483/ miller.bradley@epa. gov Need More info on the Risk Management Program (RMP)? http://www.epa.gov/emergencies/rmp will be updated as new information becomes available. EPA maintains numerous listservs to keep the public, state and local officials, and industry up to date, including several that pertain to emergency management. You can sign up for our listserve to re- ceive periodic updates: https://lists.epa.gov/read/all forums/subscribe?name=callcenter oswer RMP Reporting Center The Reporting Center can answer questions about software or installation problems. The RMP Reporting Center is available from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, for questions on the Risk Management Plan program: (703) 227-7650 (phone) RMPRC@epacdx.net (e-mail) Chemical Emergency Preparedness & Prevention Office (CEPPO) http://www.epa.gov/emergencies/index.htm Compliance and Enforcement: http://www.epa.gov/compliance/index.html Compliance Assistance: http://www.epa.gov/compliance/assistance/index.html Call our hotline, the Superfund, TRI, EPCRA, RMP, and Oil Information Center (800) 424-9346 or (703) 412-9810 TDD (800) 553-7672 or (703) 412-3323 Mon-Thurs 10:00 am to 3:00 pmET (except Federal Holidays) or see www.epa.gov/superfund/contacts/iiifocenter/iiidex.htm. You can also call or write to: U.S. EPA Region 8 1595 Wynkoop Street (8EPR-ER) Denver, CO 80202-1129 800-227-8917 CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, and WY To report an oil or chemical spill, call the National Response Center at (800) 424-8802. This newsletter provides information on the EPA Risk Management Program, EPCRA, SPCC/FRP (Facility Response Plan) and other issues relating to Accidental Release Prevention Requirements. The information should be used as a reference tool, not as a definitive source of compliance information. Compliance regulations are published in 40 CFR Part 68 for CAA section 112(r) Risk Management Program, 40 CFR Part 355/370for EPCRA, and 40 CFR Part 112.2 for SPCC/FRP. Page 8 ------- |