Section 112(r) risk management plans -- Getting ready for the submission
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has promulgated Section 112(r)(7) of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 via the Accidental Release Prevention Requirements: Risk Management Programs Under Clean Air Act Section 112(r)(7) as Chapter 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 68. This rule addresses the potential for an airborne release of certain substances that would have serious and immediate impacts to public and environmental receptors. The rule requires that a four-element Risk Management (RM) program be established to prepare for and prevent an accidental release. Compliance with the four-element program is demonstrated via the submission of a RM plan that contains a summary of the RM program. The EPA will require the plan to be submitted via floppy disk (except for limited hardship exceptions) and will make the information available to the public electronically. The public is expected to be a significant factor in the implementation of the regulation. In fact, the EPA has stated in the preamble to the final rule that: These regulations will encourage sources to reduce the probability of accidental releases of substances that have the potential to cause immediate harm to public health and the environment and will stimulate the dialogue between industry and the public to improve accident prevention and emergency response practices. It is the stated intention of the EPA that the regulation will be highly visible locally and preparation is needed to avoid misunderstanding of the information. This paper will discuss each of the different aspects of the four program elements from the public affairs standpoint. It is intended to provide public affairs personnel with an idea of the technical aspects of the regulation and the RM manager with an idea of the public affairs aspects.
- Research Organization:
- Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine, MD (US)
- OSTI ID:
- 20002265
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-990608--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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