Don't Delay Incident Reporting

Every spill generator should consider the filing of incident reports after an environmental release a top priority and complete all required telephone and written reports as quickly as possible. That's because some regulatory agencies have established very short time frames for mandatory reporting - and can levy some hefty fines for non-compliance.

Louisiana, for example, requires telephone notification within one hour of a spill. Fines can go up to $25,000 per day. Massachusetts also has a tight reporting deadline (two hours). The penalty for a late-notification infraction carries a penalty of $11,500 there. And, remember, insurance companies do not cover fines for late spill reporting.

Reporting regulations get confusing when an incident occurs in a area where multiple agencies - each with separate reporting requirements - have jurisdiction. A spill in one of the five boroughs of New York City requires reports be made to county, state and federal authorities, plus the NYC Department of Environmental Protection. Failure to make the city report can cost $25,000 a day, with each day being a separate violation, relates Tom Moses, president of Spill Center®, which he founded more than 20 years ago to provide spill and environmental claims support to client companies. Tom received his law degree in 1986 and is a former U.S. EPA toxicologist.

Tom advises carriers and others at risk from environmental spills to get to know the reporting requirements of each jurisdiction in which they maintain and operate equipment. "Even then, it is a challenge to keep up with changes in regulations and contact information," he observes. For that reason, many carriers choose to sign up with Spill Center to boost their level of spill preparedness. Spill Center Compliance Associates are on call 24/7 every day of the year. They routinely complete DOT Incident Report Forms along with all required local, state and federal spill reports as part of Spill Center's program of spill-related services for clients.

Spill Center completes more incident reports for clients than any other organization in the country. We maintain a database of current regulations and contacts for nearly 30,000 federal, state/provincial, and local jurisdictions throughout North America. And we can complete your reports accurately and on time. To learn more about Spill Center spill support and environmental claims management services, visit our website www.spillcenter.com. Or call Tom Moses directly at 978-568-1922, X222. Email:  tmoses@spillcenter.com.