A SPCC (Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure) plan is a document that should be drawn up by the owner of any oil storage facility to describe what steps are to be taken for the handling of oil, what to do if spills occur, what drainage or discharge controls are in place, who is in charge, and what resources and equipment can be brought into use to prevent any oil spills from reaching the coastline or any busy shipping lanes. The SPCC plans must be drawn up according to recognized engineering standar
Oil spills are a danger to the health of the public, pollute drinking water, spoil natural resources and cause disruptions in the economy. The United States uses enormous quantities of oil for heating, fuel for vehicles and for the operation of hundreds of thousands of machines. Often, oil is spilled from storage facilities, while being transported, or during the course of exploration or production processes and it ends up soaking into the land or being carried away by rivers and streams.
The prevention of oil spills should be high on the agenda of any oil storage facility and if they do occur, they should be cleaned up as quickly as possible. It often costs less to prevent a spill than to clean one up after the event. The purpose of the SPCC rule is to assist oil storage facilities prevent spilled oil from reaching navigable waterways or the closest shoreline.