Instead of providing secondary containment for qualified oil-filled operational equipment, an owner or operator may prepare an oil spill contingency plan and a written commitment of manpower, equipment, and materials to quickly control and remove discharged oil.  He/she must also have an inspection or monitoring program for the equipment to detect a failure and/or discharge.  What is required in an inspection or monitoring program?

An owner or operator must be able to detect a discharge for a contingency plan to be effective.  Owners/operators who use this alternative are required to develop an appropriate set of procedures for inspections or a monitoring program for qualified oil-filled operational equipment.  A written description of the inspection or monitoring program must be included in the SPCC Plan.  A record of inspections and tests, signed by the appropriate supervisor or inspector, must be kept with the SPCC Plan for three years.