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Guidance on the Use of Chemical Countermeasures on Inland Oil Spills

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) recognizes the major role of local government responders, such as firefighters, as the first line of defense for mitigating threats to public health and the environment from spills of oil and hazardous substances, and tries to provide them with the tools necessary to safely and effectively mitigate such incidents.  Chemical countermeasures (CCMs) are one of those tools, but their use must be authorized and carefully managed.  This article describes that process where countermeasures are proposed for use on inland events such as fuel spills that may affect navigable waters.  These may include surface waters and conduits to them, including road ditches and storm drains, though the exact definition remains in flux.