CHAPTER 7
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
SECTION I. GENERAL
7.1 Purpose and Applicability
A. The purpose of this chapter is to outline requirements for spill prevention management,
contingency planning requirements, and basic emergency response procedures. More stringent
Military Service or Agency policy and procedures will be followed as appropriate.
B. The provisions of this chapter are applicable to all personnel involved in planning,
development, coordination, and execution of plans to prevent accidental releases, minimize risk,
and control damage resulting from hazardous materials incidents.
7.2 Federal Regulatory Requirements
A. A significant Federal law affecting oil and hazardous substances is the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), as amended by the
Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA). Important elements of CERCLA and
SARA are in Title 40 CFR, part 300.
1. SARA requires installations to report releases of reportable quantities (RQ) of CERCLA
hazardous substances to the National Response Center (NRC).
2. The establishment of the National Contingency Plan (NCP). The NCP accomplishes the
following:
a. Assigns and divides responsibilities for oil and hazardous substance spill response actions
among Federal, State, and local governments.
b. Requires Federal, regional, and local oil and hazardous substance spill contingency plans.
c. Requires oil and hazardous substance spill contingency plans at installations which have
the capacity for spilling a reportable quantity of a hazardous substance or for harming the
environment.
d. Establishes procedures for responding to oil and hazardous substance spills.
B. The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) requires facilities storing transformers or other
equipment containing PCBs to report to the EPA regional office releases of more than 1 pound of
oil or fluid containing over 50 ppm of PCBs. TSCA also requires the reporting of any release of
materials containing 50 ppm PCBs that directly contaminates surface or drinking water, sewers,
grazing land, or vegetable gardens. Local agencies may have more stringent requirements.
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