What is the purpose of a spill prevention, control, and countermeasure (SPCC) plan?

The purpose of a Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) plan is specifically designed to prevent oil spills from occurring in navigable waters and their adjoining shorelines. This plan is crucial for protecting environmental resources, ensuring that facilities that handle oil are equipped with the necessary measures to prevent discharges into the waterways.

An effective SPCC plan outlines procedures for the management of oil products and includes detailed strategies for both spill prevention and response. It includes measures such as secondary containment, regular inspections, and employee training on spill response procedures. By minimizing the risk of oil spills, the SPCC plan plays a vital role in safeguarding aquatic ecosystems and maintaining water quality.

The other options focus on different aspects of environmental safety and compliance. For example, ensuring proper hazardous waste disposal methods relates to waste management, assessing environmental impacts of projects pertains to environmental assessments, and promoting recycling initiatives is connected to solid waste management and resource recovery. While all are important aspects of environmental compliance, they do not directly align with the specific goals of an SPCC plan, which is solely focused on preventing oil spills and protecting water resources.