Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) Plan Options

There are three primary SPCC Plan options for facilities that store 1,320 gallons of oil aboveground (or 42,000 gallons underground). Plan options depend on your total aboveground oil storage capacity, the size of your largest single container, and your facility’s spill history.

1. Tier 1 Self-Certified Plan

• Storage Limits: Total aboveground storage capacity is between 1,320 and 10,000 gallons, with no single container larger than 5,000 gallons.
• Spill History: No significant spill history (no single discharge over 1,000 gallons or two discharges over 42 gallons within 12 months).
• Certification: Can be self-certified by the facility owner or operator using the EPA SPCC guidance template; no professional engineer is required.
• Complexity: The simplest and least expensive option, using a standardized fill-in-the-blank format provided by the EPA.

2. Tier 2 Self-Certified Plan

• Storage Limits: Total aboveground storage capacity is between 1,320 and 10,000 gallons, and at least one individual container is larger than 5,000 gallons.
• Spill History: Same as Tier 1.
• Certification: Can be self-certified by the facility owner, but it must be a full, custom, engineering-compliant plan; no professional engineer is required.
• Complexity: More detailed and comprehensive than Tier 1 because it covers larger individual tank volumes that present a higher single-container risk.

3. Professional Engineer (PE) Certified (Non-Qualified) Plan

• Storage Limits: Total aboveground storage capacity exceeds 10,000 gallons, or the facility exceeds the aboveground storage capacity threshold of 1,320 gallons and does not meet the spill history requirements of Tier 1 or Tier 2.
• Spill History/Exceptions: Required if the facility has a history of major spills, uses large underground storage, or makes custom deviations or exemptions from standard rule requirements.
• Certification: Must be fully reviewed, stamped, and certified by a licensed professional engineer (PE).
• Complexity: The most rigorous, customized, and costly plan due to mandatory engineering oversight and complex facility layouts.