Most potato growers will need
spill plan in place before May 10
PRESQUE ISLE — There will be a workshop Thursday, April 4 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at The Crow’s Nest in Presque Isle to go over the requirements and presentation of a template for self-certifying Tier I farms for a Spill Prevention Containment and Countermeasure (SPCC) plan.
While not every farmer is required to have a plan, many are. Representatives from the EPA have stated that they are coming and are going to do inspections on the SPCC program. The SPCC plan must be completed by May 10.
According to Dr. Steven B. Johnson, crops specialist and professor at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, the criteria for farms requiring a plan are:
• You do not need a SPCC plan if: Your farm has less 1,320 gallons of above-ground oil storage capacity or less than 42,000 gallons of below-ground oil storage capacity. Oil includes diesel, gasoline, hydraulic oil, lube oil, crop oil, vegetable oil, etc.
• You need a SPCC plan if: Your farm has more than 1,320 gallons of above-ground oil storage capacity or more than 42,000 gallons of below-ground oil storage capacity. Oil includes diesel, gasoline, hydraulic oil, lube oil, crop oil, vegetable oil, and the like. Having no oil spills to water larger than 1,000 gallons in the last 3 months or 42 gallons from two spills in any 12-month period is a requirement.
• You are a Tier I farm if: Your farm has 10,000 gallons or less of above-ground oil storage capacity and no above-ground containers larger than 5,000 gallons. You are eligible to self-certify a SPCC plan.
• You are a Tier II farm if: Your farm has more than 10,000 gallons of above-ground oil storage capacity or above-ground containers larger than 5,000 gallons. You are required to create a full SPCC plan and have it reviewed and certified by a licensed professional engineer.
There will be a $5 charge to attend the April 4 meeting.
For more information, log onto http://cfr.vlex.com/vid/112-spill-prevention-countermeasure-19812463.
