EPA Officially Exempts Milk Containers from SPCC Rule

The EPA announced today that milk and milk containers would be exempted from the Oil Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure rule (SPCC).  This means that milk containment structures will not need to comply with the same standards in place for oil containment structures.  EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson wrote in the EPA's press release today:  

“After working closely with dairy farmers and other members of the agricultural community, we’re taking commonsense steps to exempt them from a provision in this rule that simply shouldn’t apply to them. Despite the myths that have arisen about EPA’s intentions, our efforts have been solely focused on exempting milk and milk products from this regulation -- and that exemption is now permanent.  This step will relieve a potential burden from our nation’s dairy farms, potentially saving them money, and ensuring that EPA can focus on the pressing business of environmental and health protection.”

For more information about the EPA's decision, please click on the following links:

EPA's April 12, 2011 press release:  EPA press release on milk/SPCC

EPA's fact sheet on milk/SPCC rule exemption:  http://www.epa.gov/oem/docs/oil/spcc/fs_milk.pdf