The US Environmental Protection Agency proposed amendments to federal requirements covering responses to crude-oil spills. Comments will be accepted for 90 days following the proposal’s publication in the Federal Register.
The proposed changes under Subpart J of the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan address issues raised by the public, responders, government, and industry officials during the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, EPA said in its Jan. 13 notice.
“Our proposed amendments incorporate scientific advances and lessons learned from the application of spill-mitigating substances in response to oil discharges and will help ensure that the emergency planners and responders are well-equipped to protect human health and the environment,” said Mathy Stanislaus, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response.
EPA said the proposed changes include:
• New and revised product toxicity and efficacy test methodologies for dispersants, and other chemical and biological agents.
• New toxicity and efficacy criteria for listing agents on the Subpart J Product Schedule.
• Additional human health and safety information requirements from manufacturers.
• Revised area planning requirements for chemical and biological agent use authorization.
• New dispersant monitoring requirements when used on certain oil discharges.
EPA said dispersant manufacturers will be able to use a new, well-tested and peer reviewed laboratory method for determining the effectiveness of their dispersant on two types of crude oils at two temperatures measured against proposed performance criteria.
The agency also is proposing an aquatic toxicity threshold such that products that meet both the performance and toxicity criteria will offer greater performance at less environmental impact. It also is proposing product chemical ingredient disclosure options and new evaluation criteria and a process for removing products from the product schedule.
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