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Risk Management Plan (RMP) Rule Overview

Section 112(r) of the Clean Air Act Amendments requires EPA to publish regulations and guidance for chemical accident prevention at facilities that use certain hazardous substances. These regulations and guidance are contained in the Risk Management Plan (RMP) rule.  The RMP rule requires facilities that use extremely hazardous substances to develop a Risk Management Plan which:

  • identifies the potential effects of a chemical accident,
  • identifies steps the facility is taking to prevent an accident, and
  • spells out emergency response procedures should an accident occur.

These plans provide valuable information to local fire, police, and emergency response personnel to prepare for and respond to chemical emergencies in their community. Making RMPs available to the public also fosters communication and awareness to improve accident prevention and emergency response practices at the local level. 

The RMP rule was built upon existing industry codes and standards. It requires facilities that use listed regulated Toxic or Flammable Substances for Accidental Release Prevention to develop an RMP and submit that plan to EPA.

Who must submit an RMP?

Facilities holding more than a threshold quantity of a regulated substance in a process are required to comply with EPA’s Risk Management Program regulations. The regulations require owners or operators of covered facilities to implement a risk management program and to submit an RMP to EPA. See: General Risk Management Program Guidance.

What information must an RMP include?

Each facility's program should address three areas:

  • Hazard assessment that details the potential effects of an accidental release, an accident history of the last five years, and an evaluation of worst-case and alternative accidental releases;
  • Prevention program that includes safety precautions and maintenance, monitoring, and employee training measures; and
  • Emergency response program that spells out emergency health care, employee training measures and procedures for informing the public and response agencies (e.g the fire department) should an accident occur.

How often must facilities submit an RMP?

The plans are revised and resubmitted to EPA every five years.

What chemicals must be reported under RMP?

The rule includes a List of Regulated Substances under section 112(r) of the Clean Air Act, including their synonyms and threshold quantities (in pounds) to help assess if a process is subject to the RMP rule. These regulated substances are also subject to the requirements of the general duty clause. Where the Clean Air Act Section 112(r) program has been delegated to a state, that state may have additional requirements for the federally listed chemicals, and/or additional listed chemicals.

Related Federal Register Notices

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