Division of Emergency and Remedial Response
Program Description
The Division of Emergency and Remedial Response focuses on the prevention, identification, investigation and cleanup of chemical and petroleum hazards in Ohio. Activities conducted, overseen, or supported by the division include brownfield revitalization; emergency response; site assessment and investigation; spill prevention, control and countermeasures; remedial response; and voluntary assessment/cleanup actions.
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Highlight
Licking River Bank Stabilzation Project
 
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers contractor began stabilization of the Licking River bank at the former Newark Processing facility on March 17, 2008. Large amounts of aluminum dross and other waste from the facility were dumped along the river and it is now being eroded into the river. The main part of the project construction should be completed in August 2008. The first photo was taken in January 2008 before construction began (the aluminum dross is the gray material). The second photo was taken in July 2008 and shows the completed rock wall along the river bank.
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The Emergency Response Program conducts and oversees emergency response actions at spills and releases of chemicals, petroleum and other hazardous materials. The district On-scene Coordinators may conduct an emergency response action themselves or assist local fire and haz-mat officials. Emergency response actions are typically short in duration and timeliness is critical. Ohio’s release reporting law requires a “spill” or release to be reported within 30 minutes. The U.S. EPA “List of Lists” contains the list of hazardous substances with reportable quantities that must be reported when spilled or released. The reportable quantities for oil, which includes animal and vegetable oils, can be found in Ohio Administrative Code Chapter 3750-25-20. Spills and releases should be reported to the Ohio EPA Release Reporting Hotline at 1-800-282-9378.
The Emergency Response Program conducts inspections at facilities subject to the Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) Regulations. The district On-scene Coordinators may conduct an inspection as part of an emergency response. They may also request and review a copy of a facility’s SPCC Plan. The Understanding the Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) Requirements Fact Sheet, prepared by the Ohio EPA’s Office of Compliance Assistance and Pollution Prevention, provides additional details on the regulation’s requirements. The U.S. EPA Oil Program web site also contains information on the SPCC Regulations.
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U.S. EPA published a final rule amending the Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) Rule in the Federal Register on May 16, 2007. This action extends the SPCC compliance dates in §112.3(a), (b), and (c) for all facilities until July 1, 2009.
Under the new §112.3(a), a facility that was in operation on or before August 16, 2002 must make any necessary amendments to its SPCC Plan, and implement that Plan, on or before July 1, 2009. Under the new §112.3(b), a facility that came into operation after August 16, 2002 through July 1, 2009 must also prepare and implement an SPCC Plan on or before July 1, 2009. Finally, under the new §112.3(c), a mobile facility must prepare or amend and implement an SPCC Plan on or before July 1, 2009.
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The Emergency Response Program also participates in the Elemental Mercury Collection Program. The goal of the collection program is to reduce the amount of mercury in local communities throughout Ohio, thereby reducing the risk of mercury releases to homes, schools and the environment.
The Remedial Response Program conducts and oversees investigations and cleanups at abandoned and unregulated hazardous waste sites. The program also assists U.S. EPA by conducting investigations at potentially contaminated sites and overseeing the cleanup of Superfund sites and removal actions. The investigations and cleanups are conducted and overseen by district Site Coordinators.
The Site Assessment and Brownfield Revitalization Program coordinates federal and state site assessment activities and oversees brownfield revitalization, marketing and outreach activities. Assessment activities usually take place before sites enter a cleanup program (e.g., remedial response, Superfund, RCRA corrective action, voluntary action). Assessment activities and some marketing and outreach activities are conducted by district Site Coordinators.
Sampling and assessment assistance can be provided by the division's Site Investigation Field Unit to communities that want to revitalize brownfield sites. Through a grant from U.S. EPA, the division's Site Investigation Field Unit can provide subsidized technical assistance to communities, port authorities and other public entities.
The Site Assessment and Brownfield Revitalization Program also assists the Ohio Department of Development and the Clean Ohio Council in administering the Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund by providing applicable regulatory program statements and reviewing the environmental aspects of the fund applications.
The Voluntary Action Program issues releases of liability called covenants not to sue to those who voluntarily clean up contaminated sites and provides technical assistance to those conducting these cleanups. Those who seek a covenant for sites that they voluntarily cleaned up must meet certain cleanup standards and submit information to Ohio EPA in a “no further action letter” documenting that the standards have been met. The review of the submitted information is conducted by district Site Coordinators. Technical assistance may also be provided by the district Site Coordinators.
Page last updated May 18, 2009
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