The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has extended the deadline for most facilities that are required to prepare or revise their oil Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) Plans to comply with recent amendments to the SPCC rule. The compliance date of November 10, 2011, applies to regulated facilities in a broad range of categories, including:
Onshore oil production, farms, electric utility plants, petroleum refining and related industries, chemical manufacturing, food manufacturing, manufacturing facilities using and storing animal fats and vegetable oils, metal and other manufacturing, real estate rental and leasing, retail trade, petroleum bulk stations and terminals, education, hospitals and other health care, fuel oil dealers, gasoline stations, transportation and other commercial, etc.
However, some facilities are not eligible for the extension, and must comply by November 10, 2010. These include:
Drilling, production or workover facilities that are offshore or that have an offshore component, and
Onshore facilities required to have and submit facility response plans (FRPs), due to the potential threat of significant oil spills to navigable waters or adjoining shorelines from these facilities.
As we must always note, owners or operators of facilities in operation before August 16, 2002, must continue to maintain and implement an SPCC Plan in accordance with the regulations then in effect.
More information on the rule can be found at the EPA webpage, http://www.epa.gov/emergencies/content/spcc/compliance_dates.htm.
A flurry of protests followed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s notice on August 24 that it would accept comments on a petition requesting that it ban lead in bullets and shot, as well as in fishing tackle (e.g., lead sinkers). As quickly as the clamor rose, it subsided, when EPA today denied the part of the petition calling for a ban on the production and distribution of lead hunting ammunition. The EPA letter explaining its denial can be found at 
Drilling, production or workover facilities that are offshore or onshore facilities required to have and submit facility response plans (FRPs) will not be eligible for the proposed extension, and must prepare or update their SPCC Plans in accordance with the rule amendments by November 10 of this year. Other facilities, including onshore oil production facilities, farms, utilities, various manufacturers, petroleum bulk storage and retail, transportation and commercial operations may put off their plan and facility updates until November 10, 2011. 
Starting in January 2011, Clean Air Act permitting requirements for GHGs will apply to large facilities that are already obtaining Clean Air Act permits for other pollutants. Those facilities will be required to include GHGs in their permit if they increase their GHG emissions by 75,000 tons per year (tpy). In July 2011, permitting requirements will expand to cover all new facilities with GHG emissions of at least 100,000 tpy and modifications at existing facilities that would increase GHG emissions by at least 75,000 tpy. The permits must demonstrate the use of best available control technologies to minimize GHG emission increases when facilities are constructed or significantly modified. EPA estimates approximately 900 additional permitting actions covering new sources and modifications to existing sources would be subject to review each year. In addition, 550 sources will need to obtain operating permits for the first time because of their GHG emissions.
One of the proposed rules addresses boilers at area sources – facilities that potentially emit less than 10 tons per year (tpy) of any single hazardous air pollutant or 25 tpy of combined air toxics. The rule will apply to facilities with boilers that burn coal, oil or biomass (i.e., wood), but not waste materials. New boilers that burn coal would need to meet emission standards for mercury, particulates and carbon monoxide. New boilers burning oil or biomass will need to meet emission limits for particulates and carbon monoxide. Existing large boilers (heat input of 10 million Btu/hr or greater) that burn coal will be required to meet emission limits for mercury and carbon monoxide; existing large boilers that are oil or biomass-fired will have an emission limit for carbon monoxide, only. The rule requires that all facilities with large boilers conduct an energy assessment to identify practicable conservation measures. Facilities with small boilers will be required only to conduct a boiler tune-up at least once every two years.
