COMPREHENSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSE, COMPENSATION, AND LIABILITY ACT (CERCLA) AND SUPERFUND AMENDMENTS AND REAUTHORIZATION ACT (SARA) TITLE III (EMERGENCY) PLANNING AND COMMUNITY RIGHT-TO- KNOW)

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations im­plementing Title III of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA Title III) set threshold levels (threshold planning quantities, i.e., TPQs) for emer­gency planning at a local level. Both SARA Title III and CERCLA set reportable quantities (RQs) for reporting re­leases to the environment. The TPQ for both hydrogen sul­fide and sulfur dioxide is 500 pounds; RQs for release reporting are 100 pounds for hydrogen sulfide and 1 pound for sulfur dioxide. TPQs and RQs (trigger levels) and the regulations requiring response plans and release reports un­der both SARA Title III and CERCLA are set forth in 40 Code of Federal Regulations Part 302, and 40 Code of Fed­eral Regulations Part 355. Refer to API Bulletin E-4 for guidance on release reporting requirements. 'Trigger levels" for response plan and release reporting requirements are sub­ject to change and users shall check the latest revisions for compliance. SARA Title III also requires submission of pe­riodic and annual reports of information to state and local of­ficials on the presence of hazardous chemicals at production

and gas processing facilities. Those regulations are set forth in 40 Code of Federal Regulations Part 370, and API has published suggested generic reporting forms (refer to API Bulletin E-l) that are acceptable to EPA. Appropriate guid­ance should be sought to assure compliance with these pro­grams for the specific operations.