Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

HTTPS

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock (LockA locked padlock) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

    • Environmental Topics
    • Air
    • Bed Bugs
    • Cancer
    • Chemicals, Toxics, and Pesticide
    • Emergency Response
    • Environmental Information by Location
    • Health
    • Land, Waste, and Cleanup
    • Lead
    • Mold
    • Radon
    • Research
    • Science Topics
    • Water Topics
    • A-Z Topic Index
    • Laws & Regulations
    • By Business Sector
    • By Topic
    • Compliance
    • Enforcement
    • Laws and Executive Orders
    • Regulations
    • Report a Violation
    • Environmental Violations
    • Fraud, Waste or Abuse
    • About EPA
    • Our Mission and What We Do
    • Headquarters Offices
    • Regional Offices
    • Labs and Research Centers
    • Planning, Budget, and Results
    • Organization Chart
    • EPA History

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. News Releases

EPA Advises Facility Operators to Prevent and Minimize Releases during Hazardous Weather Events

June 9, 2020

Contact Information
Wanda Hudson (hudson.wanda@epa.gov)
404-562-9351
404-562-8400

ATLANTA (June 9, 2020) – As hurricane season approaches, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing a Hazardous Weather Release Prevention and Reporting alert to remind facility operators of certain requirements that call for preventing, minimizing and reporting chemical releases. This alert is designed to increase awareness among facility operators about their obligation to operate facilities safely, minimize releases that do occur, and report chemical or oil releases and discharges in a timely manner, as required under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act and/or the emergency planning provisions of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act and/or the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan.

“Engaging with facility operators is a critical step to ensuring appropriate preparation and planning for potential releases,” said EPA Region 4 Administrator Mary S. Walker. “We want facility operators to implement the safety measures needed to prevent and minimize releases of chemicals and hazardous substances; doing so will reduce the risks to workers, first responders, and the surrounding community.”

The alert specifies release prevention and preparedness requirements and clarifies reporting requirements, including exemptions. Unlike some natural disasters, the onset of a hurricane is predictable and allows for early preparations to lessen its effect on a facility. Before high winds and associated storm surge flooding damage industrial processes, the alert recommends that operators take preventive action by safely shutting down processes, appropriately securing facilities including hazardous chemical and storage, or otherwise operating safely under appropriate emergency procedures. If a reportable chemical release or oil discharge does occur, operators should notify appropriate authorities immediately including the National Response Center.

The alert and requirements are available at https://www.epa.gov/natural-disasters/hazardous-weather-release-prevention-and-reporting.

In the event of a hazardous weather incident, please visit https://www.epa.gov/natural-disasters for updated emergency information.

###

Related Links

  • Region 04
  • Read other EPA News Releases about Emergency Response
  • Read other EPA News Releases about Hazardous Waste
Contact Us about News Releases
Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.
Last updated on July 19, 2023
  • Assistance
  • Spanish
  • Arabic
  • Chinese (simplified)
  • Chinese (traditional)
  • French
  • Haitian Creole
  • Korean
  • Portuguese
  • Russian
  • Tagalog
  • Vietnamese
United States Environmental Protection Agency

Discover.

  • Accessibility Statement
  • Budget & Performance
  • Contracting
  • EPA www Web Snapshot
  • Grants
  • No FEAR Act Data
  • Plain Writing
  • Privacy
  • Privacy and Security Notice

Connect.

  • Data
  • Inspector General
  • Jobs
  • Newsroom
  • Regulations.gov
  • Subscribe
  • USA.gov
  • White House

Ask.

  • Contact EPA
  • EPA Disclaimers
  • Hotlines
  • FOIA Requests
  • Frequent Questions
  • Site Feedback

Follow.